Greece’s Seamen Call 48-hour Strike, Nov 2-4

Photo © Lefteris Papaulakis / Shutterstock

The Pan-Hellenic Seamen’s Federation (PNO) has called a 48-hour strike, effective as of 6am on Monday, November 2, until 6am on Wednesday, November 4, in response to “the new regulations and requirements of the third memorandum”.

PNO issued a statement on Tuesday in which it says that Greece’s third agreement with international creditors “does not aim to supposedly improve the financial results of the State but it literally aims at strengthening business power at the expense of labor for the sake of competitiveness”.

Greece’s international creditors are pushing for the Greek government to implement the model followed by passenger ships sailing in the Adriatic, which means a reduction in the number of Greek seafarers on ferries by some 10 percent.

Among other claims, the Greek seamen are protesting against pension cuts, increased unemployment in the sector, uninsured labor, violation of working conditions and ongoing deterioration of social security rights and health care for active and retired seafarers and their families.

“The upcoming new ‘avalanche’ of anti-worker measures and policies leaves us no other options”, PNO says.

PNO said it will also participate in the 24-hour strike called by the General Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE) on November 12.