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Greek Gov’t to Metro Workers: end strike or requisition and lay-offs!

Greek government sent an ultimatum to striking Metro workers threatening them with lay-offs and ‘enforced mobilization’ or requisition. On Tuesday, government spokesman Simos Kedikoglou gave Metro workers time to resume work by next Thursday and end their strikes that prohibit the operation of Athens metro for the seventh consecutive day.

“The leaders of this unacceptable situation have time until tomorrow to comply with the court orders in order to restore legitimacy. Otherwise they will face the consequences of the law,” Kedikoglou told Vima FM on Tuesday morning.

“Even if they bring the tanks, we will resist,” Christos Koukis, the president of Metro workers union told a Greek website and said “we will answer with a war to the government war”. He also announced “a total black out in the public transport should the government proceed to requisition. This is not just a threat,” he stressed.

Workers at Athens Metro, urban train ISAP/HSAP and the Tram demand to be excluded from the new payroll, common for all civil workers.

While the Metro is on 24-hour repeated strikes since last week, urban train and the tram halt operation for six hours per day.

As the management of the three transport means sought legal measures, courts have declared the strikes as “illegal”. However workers continue their mobilization undeterred.

One million Athenians use these three public transport means on a daily basis.

Workers unions are to meet today and decide about the future of their protests.

 

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4 comments

  1. I know it was mentioned before, but, issues aside, is there anyone in the Greek Government (Like President Reagan as was mentioned) that can fire all of them and hire new ones etc? Could it be done, or is it totally illegal to do that. I’m not quite clear on what the legality in Greece if there was a Greek “Ronaldakis Reaganopoulos” to fire them all and hire new ones, and with a clause that they are banned from ever working for a Deko again? (like Reagan did).

    I know that most Greeks would find that harsh but legally could it be done?

    • keeptalkinggreece

      dear @Reaganfan, legally it’s almos timpossible as the no lay-off in the public sector in anckered in the Constitution.

  2. I am just an ordinary Englishman with no affiliations to Greece or to Politics yet I could weep for the plight of Greece where the Central Banks,the Troika and puppet politicians have nationalised the Banking fraud and debt!This is NOT austerity..it is Impoverishment akin to terrorism. I fear the same will come to the UK.Rather than blame strikers,ask yourself WHY?..and join them!

    • gov fears if it gives in to metro workers, the rest of Greeks will stand up & demands to excemptions from austerity measures as well. as for people, well… many think that these workers were hired due to connections to politicians etc.
      from what I read about UK situatoin, you have also severe cuts in health and espc social welfare. it looks equally awful, with or without loan agreement.