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Without any specific variations in the salaries of striking employees of the public transport took place in their protest. This explains to a large extent the fact that strikes continued for a third month now. At the same time, however, the financial damages to the public transport companies are enormous.

The strikes of the employees in the public transportation began in early December. They caused chaos in the street traffic in the capital, got on the nerves of the passengers, caused damages for hundreds of thousands of euros for the companies but it seems that they had a very little effect on the salaries of the strikers. After making arrangement with the managements of companies that have shown an unprecedented "understanding" the public transportation employees were able to have more than one string on their bow and through various machinations they did not lose their wages during the days when the were on strike.

At the same time according to the estimations of the company for public transport the organizations lose an average of one and half million euros for each 24-hour strike. The breaks from work, which usually have a duration of four hours are worth for the company between one hundred to five hundred thousand euros, depending on whether they involved staff members of all types of public transport. It is believed that in recent times the value of the losses and the payment of salaries to the employees, but without them carrying out transportation activities amounted to 10 million euros per month, or more than 20 million for the last quarter.

The front of the strikers began to tear apart, but the damages to the public transport companies, which anyway had enormous financial difficulties are irreparable. Only for the last 24-hour strike last Wednesday, which involved employees of all means of transportation except trams salaries have received 2971 employees out of a total of 7898 strikers. Out of the total number of staff members who have received salaries, 2206 employees did not show up at work on the day of the strike, using a day off, which they are entitled to or have called in sick. The remaining 765 employees who did not pretend to be sick or did not use a due holiday said they would not participate in the strike.

Sources from the public transport companies say they have encountered also one additional problem. In many cases, not all employees were willing to go on strike, “as a result of which was created a front against the strike, but without the officials being able to carry out transportation activities, because of the strong presence of trade unionists in the transport depots”.

Typical is the example of the company managing the Athens subway, where out of a total of 1420 employees only 140 employees said they would use the the holiday they are entitled to or that they are sick. A willingness to work as usual and not to participate in the strike have expressed 587 employees who have received their wages as stipulated by labor legislation.

Particularly important is the fact that trade unions in the different types of public transport announced the holding of strikes in succession, as a result of which groups of employees who are not participating in the strike actions receive their salaries, without however working because of the strike of their colleagues.

The largest number of "sick" staff members and holidaymakers or 1500 people is involved in the largest trade union, that of the employees in the bus transport. This have also done on the same day 350 out of the total 1058 employees in the the Athens electric train. In the strike have also participated 497 people, 42 have chosen not to participate and 169 were "security personnel", i.e. guardians of the strike. In the trolley company are employed 962 people, of which 592 were striking, 136 were "working" and 18 were "security personnel". 216 officers have received salaries without showing up at work on the pretext that they were sick or took advantage of the holiday they were entitled to.

Misuse of holidays and sick leaves during the strikes, towards which the management of the companies have shown great tolerance and the use of the provided by law opportunity  for non participation in the strike have cost the public transport companies tens of thousands of euros for zero revenue in the days of strikes.