Ships Docked as Striking Greek Workers Protest Over Rising Costs
Thousands of Greek striking workers, students and pensioners marched through central Athens on Wednesday to protest over wages which they are not enough to cope with rising living costs.Ships remained docked at Greek ports and train services were halted as transport workers joined the nationwide strike by private sector union GSEE, Greece's largest.City transport was also disrupted as bus and taxi drivers halted operations for a few hours.Protesters marched to parliament around noon.
Italians Seen Bidding for Greek Railways, Russians Uncertain
Italy's state railway is expected to bid for its Greek counterpart TRAINOSE, but Russian Railways (RZD) is less likely to do so, sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Tuesday. Privatisations, a key part of Greece's international bailout agreements since 2010, have reaped just 3 billion euros ($3.4 billion) so far, far short of the initial target of 50 billion euros, amid political resistance, bureaucratic problems and union opposition. Binding bids for Greece's railway network are due by 1400 GMT on Wednesday. Athens is selling TRAINOSE and maintenance company ROSCO to meet the terms of its latest EU/IMF deal signed last summer. It received non-binding expressions of interest in TRAINOSE from Italy's state railway, RZD and Greek construction group GEK-Terna in April.
Ships Idled as Greeks Strike Again
Policy reforms required to meet bailout terms; parliament expected to measures on May 8. Greeks started a 48-hour nationwide strike on Friday in anger at tax and pension reforms pursued by the indebted nation to qualify for more of a multi-billion euro bailout it signed up to last year. Called by the largest private and public sector unions, the strike left ships docked at port, disrupted public transport and kept civil servants and journalists off the job. Greece's largest labour union, the private sector GSEE, said the reforms, now pending approval in parliament, were the "last nail on the coffin" for workers and pensioners who have sacrificed enough after six years of austerity.
Greek Strike Promises Chaos
Greek transport unions promised chaos for travelers during Thursday's 24-hour general strike, with public transport in Athens forecast to grind to a halt and Olympic Airways and Greek railways scaling back on routes. The 24-hour nationwide strike has been called by Greece's largest labor grouping GSEE, with the support of public sector sister group ADEDY, to protest against plans to reform the country's social security system. The government last week unveiled proposals to revamp the ailing social security system by raising the retirement age, changing how pensions are calculated and doing away with a number of special categories of pensions.
Greek Union Rallies Disrupt Shipping Routes
Public transport in Greece will grind to a halt on Tuesday for the second time in less than a week following calls from Greek union leaders for a strong May Day turnout against government plans for pension changes. Public transport workers have scheduled stoppages throughout the day. Flights and shipping will also be seriously disrupted. A mass walkout last Thursday crippled much of the country, despite a last minute decision by the government to freeze its controversial pension reform plans. The Panhellenic Seamen's Organization said its members would strike from 6 a.m. until midnight, keeping all ships in port. Two routes between northern Greece and northeast Greece and two between the main port city of Piraeus and Kalamata, at the tip of the Peloponnese peninsula, will also run.
