Greek Seafarers Strike for 24 Hours, Ferries Stay in Port
Ferries and other ships are staying in port across Greece for 24 hours on Friday, 30 October, as seafarers’ unions hold a nationwide strike. The action affects Piraeus, the main port of Athens, along with Rafina, Lavrio, Elefsina, Patras and Igoumenitsa, and the Rio–Antirrio ferry crossing over the Gulf of Corinth.
The strike was called by the engineers’ union PEMEN, the seamen’s union PENEN and the engine-crew union O Stefenson. Their main demands are:
- Dangerous sea areas to be officially declared war zones
- 12% pay rises in collective agreements
- Larger crews and stronger health and safety rules
- A doctor on board every ship
- A seven-hour working day and a 35-hour week
PENEN pointed to 28 attacks on ships in the Persian Gulf in the first 21 days of October and to attacks on shipping in the Black Sea, where it said dozens of seafarers have been killed. Its Black Sea figures have not been independently confirmed.
Port workers’ federation OMYLE is stopping work from 10:00 to 13:00, and the Piraeus Labour Centre is holding its own 24-hour strike as part of an international day of action by port workers. A nationwide general strike is planned in Greece for 25 November.
The demands echo concerns raised by seafarers worldwide about war-risk areas, crewing levels and medical care at sea. Ferry passengers and crews on Greek routes can expect normal sailings to resume once the strike ends.
