Athens, Greece – The Greek capital witnessed a near-total transportation paralysis on Wednesday. Trains, ferries, and taxis stopped operating in response to a call by major labor unions for a general strike. They protested a government plan to extend working hours.
Unions warned that the new amendment exacerbates the suffering of workers still paying the price of the debt crisis (2009–2018). This includes the resulting wage and pension cuts and rising unemployment.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Labor confirmed that the law will be presented to Parliament in October. It indicated that it will only be applied for a maximum of 37 days per year. Additionally, there will be a 40% increase in basic wages. The Ministry stated that it aims to make the labor market more flexible.
But unions responded that the move only meant “additional stress and legalized exploitation.” This comes at a time when fears are rising of a return to the social anger that Greece experienced during its devastating financial crisis.
