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The dock workers blackmail the government and the producers with a 6-day strike

28 November 2010 / 14:11:03  GRReporter
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A new 48-hour strike until 6 am on Tuesday decided last night the Federation of port workers in Greece, despite the harsh reactions of producers of agricultural commodities and the concerns of the Greeks about the consequences to the island’s economy. The main demand of the strike is the signing of new collective employment contract for the staff of the passenger ferries, the Mediterranean cargo vessels and passenger vessels with gross tonnage under 500.
    The most severe are the reactions of farmers on the island of Crete, who for the sixth straight day can not send their products to the market in Athens. Last night they gathered in the port town of Iraklio and said they will not leave until the ships do not depart. In response, the Federation has issued a message saying that the port workers are not to be blamed for breaking the connection between islands and mainland Greece.
    The continuation of the strike also affects the finances of the ferry companies, especially of those who run the transport on the main routs with relatively good turnover during the winter period like Crete and the Dodecanese archipelago. According to analysts the value of the losses reported since the beginning of the strike so far are close to the total value of the promotions that port workers would have received if the collective agreement had been signed. At the same time on many of the islands the lack of fuels, food products, but also drugs has already been noted.
    Late last night the Minister of maritime affairs, islands and fisheries Yiannis Diamantidis appealed to workers and owners of cabotage companies to agree to sit at the table of dialogue. "The Government invites interested parties to engage in direct dialogue to be signed today, collective agreements and thus to eliminate the strike and the consequences it causes," said the Mnister, adding that the government expressed their opposition to any event which demonstrated improper exercise of rights. "The strike is undeniable and constitutional rights of workers," said Yiannis Diamantidis, but at the same time stressed that it is subject to a number of legal orders that in this case are related to the vital interests of the island’s population.
    According to the minister both the right of the workers and the public interest and protection of the national economy will be guaranteed. Thus it became clear that the government is prepared to force the workers to go back to work.
    Greece, which in the coming months is facing the need to carry out bold economic reforms will have to deal in future with such industry protests. Reforms will affect group interests and the respective professional organizations will attempt to defend them through strikes and protests. The international institutions warned the Greek government not to give way to pressure of the minority and to protect the public interest which is to create a modern and competitive economic infrastructure.

 

Tags: port workers strike producers protests collective labor contracts
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