Greece’s two biggest umbrella trade unions, GSEE, which represents wage-earners in the private sector, and ADEDY, which represents civil servants, have declared a 24-hour strike for Wednesday.
Similar one-day industrial actions in late November are an “unofficial tradition” in the country, coming in the immediate period before the annual tabling in Parliament of the draft budget for the coming year by the government in power.
Mass transits are usually affected, especially in the greater Athens-Piraeus area, although bus and metro services will be curtailed but not fully halted. However, ferry services to and from the mainland to the islands will be suspended, as strikes declared by the powerful seamen’s union (PNO) record full compliance on every occasion.
The retail and hospitality sectors are rarely affected, if at all, by such strikes.
The unions’ main demands are measures to tackle rising cost of living and rents, what they call a housing shortage in urban areas, and increases in salaries, wages and pensions.
A 24-press strike is in effect for Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024.
