In a growing trend, Greece’s seafarers have declared a 48-hour strike from October 22-23, demanding higher wages and better working conditions, according to the Panhellenic Seamen’s Federation (PNO). The strike is driven by workers’ frustration over the rising profitability of shipping companies, which they feel has not been shared with seafarers, and the increasing pressure workers are facing due to the steep increase in the cost of living.
A Global Trend?
The announcement follows a Wall Street Journal report that 45,000 U.S. dockworkers, represented by the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA), are threatening a massive strike from Maine to Texas, demanding a 77% pay increase.
Logistics and transportation of Container Cargo ship and Cargo plane with working crane bridge in shipyard at sunrise, logistic import export and transport industry background
Major shipping lines have seen profits surge since the COVID-19 pandemic, and U.S. dockworkers believe they “deserve a share of those profits,” according to the ILA.
The PNO’s Case
Much like the ILA, the PNO highlights the high profitability of passenger shipping companies, their continued purchase of expensive new ships, and government subsidies of more than €150 million for operating unprofitable routes.
Meanwhile, seafarers wages have not increased, and workers are facing “an unbearable wave of rising costs in essential goods, energy, education, and healthcare,” notes the PNO.
The PNO met with the Association of Passenger Shipping Companies (SEEN) on October 2 to negotiate the 2025 collective labor agreement for international passenger ferries and cruise ships. The PNO requested a 12% wage increase, but SEEN countered with just 3%.
One key issue raised by the PNO is the reduced operating schedule of some passenger and high-speed vessels to just four months per year, which they say effectively turns seafarers into seasonal workers.
SEEN refused to discuss these additional concerns, claims the PNO, which has prompted the union to announce the two-day strike for October 22-23.
