Athens, Greece (AP) – A national general strike in Greece left ferries in the port and disrupted public transport by the capital on Wednesday, while employees in the public and private sector protest against changes in the country's labor laws.
No taxis in Athens or trains will last the duration of the 24-hour strike, while buses and the city's metro, tram and trolley services operated on a reduced schedule.
The strike services throughout the country, also in schools, courts, public hospitals and municipalities. Two protest marches were planned in Central Athens, with demonstrations also for other cities.
Trade unions that represent civil servants and employees in the private sector mentioned the strike to protest against changes in labor legislation that will introduce more flexibility, including overtime hours that can extend overtime up to 13 hours a day. According to the new regulations, working hours that include overtime would be covered by 48 hours a week, with a maximum of 150 overtime hours per year.
Trade unions claim that the new rules make employees vulnerable to labor abuse by employers.
“We say no to the 13-hour (shift). Exhaustion is not development, human tolerance has limits,” said the umbrella union in the private sector, the general confederation of employees of Greece, in a statement. The union called for a working week of 37½ hours and the return of collective employment contracts.
