Greek Seamen Call Another Strike

Greek seamen, many of whom haven’t been paid in months and are sleeping on their ships, said they will strike again on April 16 for 24 hours as the Parliament is debating a plan to liberalize coastal shipping and reduce routes, which the workers said will lead to a loss of many jobs.
Earlier this year, after a prolonged strike which shut down transportation to the numerous Greek islands and threatened critical supplies, the government invoked a civil mobilization order forcing them back to work under the threat of arrest but promised to pay them as much as six months back due wages. Many still haven’t been paid but are being forced to work in what critics said was tantamount to slave labor.
Their union called the strike that will keep vessels tied up in ports, including the heavy shipping docks of Piraeus, from 6 a.m. on April 16 until the next day, inconveniencing travelers just as the tourist season is getting into early swing. The government has argued that there are too many workers on less-traveled routes and that there is no need for full crews during winter months when there are far fewer passengers on the vessels.