Greece is expected to come to a standstill on Wednesday, April 9, as the country’s two largest labor unions have declared a 24-hour nationwide strike.
The strike organized by GSEE (representing the private sector) and ADEDY (representing the public sector) is set to impact a broad range of sectors, with air traffic controllers, seafarers, educators, and municipal workers among those taking part. Widespread participation could bring transportation and public services to a halt, causing significant disruptions across the country.
The unions are demanding: collective labor agreements across all sectors, wage increases, the reinstatement of 13th and 14th monthly salaries, and measures to address the housing crisis and rising living costs.
The strike in Greece will halt all flights at Athens airport
Flights to and from Greece are expected to see major disruption on Wednesday as air traffic controllers join another 24-hour general strike.
The Greek Air Traffic Controllers’ Association said its members would only handle medical, search, rescue and humanitarian aid services, as well as military flights during the 24-hour strike period.
The country’s main airport, Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos, said in a statement that no flights will operate to or from the airport between 00.00 and 23.59 on 9 April.
Sister airlines Aegean and Olympic Air said it was offering passengers due to fly on 9 April “the flexibility to change their tickets without any reissue fee and fare difference or cancel their booking and receive a credit voucher for future use”.
Public transport services, including ferries, suspended
Public bus and trolleybus workers will join the strike with work stoppages, operating only between 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. Services will be suspended from the start of shifts until 9:00 a.m. and again from 9:00 p.m. until the end of the day. Suburban bus lines operated by KTEL are expected to run normally all day.
Workers are calling for a fleet renewal, new staff hires, and pay increases
Train services, including the suburban railway (Proastiakos), will be completely suspended.
All ferry services will be suspended for 24 hours as the Panhellenic Seamen’s Federation (PNO) joins the strike, affecting all vessel categories. Key demands include tackling inflation, the housing crisis, and ensuring collective bargaining rights.
The POE-OTA, representing local authority employees, has called for a nationwide strike, urging widespread participation from both workers and the public.
In its announcement, POE-OTA accuses the government of undermining justice, promoting profiteering, and deepening inequality, while failing to resolve critical issues like housing, wages, and public service privatization.
Referring to the Tempi train tragedy and the mass protests of February 28, the union warns of a society “on the verge of explosion” and calls for renewed pressure for justice, accountability, and dignity. Their strike rally in Athens is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. in Syntagma Square, outside the Ministry of Finance.
Last month, thousands of people joined a nationwide strike and many more gathered for a second time in as many weeks in the center of Athens to demand justice for the death of 57 people in the train disaster at Tempi in 2023.
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