Greek Seamen Not Backing Down, Continue Ferry Strike

Photo © Lefteris Papaulakis / Shutterstock

The Pan-Hellenic Seamen’s Federation (PNO) on Monday announced a new round of strike action, which will suspend ferry services until 6 am on Thursday, December 8.

The announcement came after talks between unionists and Greek Shipping Minister Panagiotis Kouroumblis were said to have reached a dead end. The strike originally began Friday, December 2 and was scheduled to wrap up on Tuesday.

The Greek seamen are mainly protesting against a possible increase in their income tax.

According to PNO, Minister Kouroumblis gave them no commitment that their taxes would not increase.

Meanwhile, as a result of the strike, thousands of students on school trips are stranded on Greek islands and farmers are also unable to ship their products throughout the market.

The Federation of the Hellenic Associations of Tourist & Travel Agencies (fedHATTA) on Monday slammed PNO’s actions that have caused “multiple problems”, involving underage students and their families, their accompanying teachers, their studies, tourism businesses and local communities on the Greek islands that are forced to “bear the economic and other consequences caused by the strike”.

In addition, the Greek seamen are participating in a strike on Thursday called by General Confederation of Greek Labor (GSEE), which represents the private sector, and Greece’s public sector union ADEDY.