The strike of Greek rail workers in protest against the train accident in the northern province of Larissa, which killed at least 57 people, has been extended for two more days, the unions announced.
The three major unions representing the country’s railroad workers said in a joint statement Friday that the decision was taken unanimously in the presence of workers to “call on all relevant bodies to immediately take the appropriate measures to restore safety to Greek rail transport.”
“We have no more tolerance for the indifference of all the competent bodies, which have deliberately ignored our demands and warnings for years,” it added.
Unions say cost-cutting, staff shortages, antiquated equipment and impoverished infrastructure have plagued the network for years.
In a statement, the Panhellenic Federation of Rail Workers (POS) said that it would draw up a report on all outstanding issues of the Greek national railway system and plan to meet with the Transport Ministry and political parties by next week at the latest.
The unions also announced a protest rally in the capital Athens on Sunday morning.
On Friday, new Transport Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis announced the creation of a special committee to investigate the accident.
The committee has been instructed to complete its work as soon as possible and to seek the assistance of any technical staff, experts or others it deems necessary.
The three-member committee will include Konstantinos Halkias, honorary president of the Legal Council of State, as chairman, and two academics specializing in transport issues, Prof. Athanasios Ziliaskopoulos from Thessaly University and Prof. Vasilios Profyllidis at the Democritus University of Thrace.
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