Forty eight-hour Greece port strikes get under way

08 May 2008 11:42  [Source: ICIS news]

LONDON (ICIS news)--A 48-hour port strike across Greece began this morning, the Piraeus Port Authority said on Thursday.

One Turkish broker was confident most chemical shippers players were prepared for the strike action.

“This disruption has been ongoing since the turn of the year and players in the region have become accustomed to it,” he said.

A spokesman for the Port Authority reported that workers had gathered at Piraeus port in protest at pay conditions. “The demonstrations are peaceful and there are no major incidents to report,” he said.

Though the industrial action is expected to finish on Friday, chemical shipping in the region was still likely to be hit by further strikes across all Greek ports planned for 14 May and later in the month.

The strike was called after the Pan-Hellenic Crew Union of Towage and Salvage rejected a revised format for calculating new employee salaries.

Port workers have opposed the planned privatisation of Greek ports since January, calling for action, staging a series of strikes and refusing to work overtime.

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By: Dan Horlock
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