Port workers in Greece again strike against privatisation plan

01/02/2008

Opposing the government's plans to privatise terminals, workers at the two main commercial ports in Greece started a 48-hour strike on Wednesday.

By George Anagnostopoulos for Southeast European Times in Athens – 01/02/08

Dock workers at the Thessaloniki port hold a demonstration against plans to privatise container terminals. [Getty Images]

Workers in two of Greece's main ports -- Piraeus and Thessaloniki -- launched a 48-hour strike on Wednesday (January 30th) against the government's decision to privatise container terminals.

This strike follows a January 15th protest, where police used tear gas to disperse dock workers at the two ports. During that protest, port employees in Thessaloniki slipped inside a building where representatives of the Maritime Trade and Transport Ministry were discussing the privatisation plans. Workers at both ports claim privatisation will eventually lead to job cuts.

But according to Merchant Marine Minister Giorgos Voulgarakis, allowing private investors into container stations will help Greece play a key role in the region by becoming an important hub.

So far, the tender has attracted interest from groups in Denmark, China, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Switzerland. Some of the interested parties will likely attempt to form alliances -- perhaps even including a Greek partner -- in order to mount a winning bid. Voulgarakis received authorisation to submit a bill to parliament -- aimed at protecting the rights of the workers at the two ports -- during a meeting headed by Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis on Tuesday.

He says the bill safeguards the rights of employees who wish to retain their jobs. Voulgarakis says it gives them the option to make a voluntary exit with very significant incentives and the right to share in the capital gains of the Piraeus and Thessaloniki Port Authorities. Additionally, the bill will allow employees' children to be hired at a 10% rate provided they fulfil the conditions set by project contractors.

However, Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) party deputy Panagiotis Lafazanis said his party is opposed to the bill and to the government's privatisation plans. It is a dangerous policy that sells out Greek property, he said.

The Piraeus Port Authority (OLP) administration sent a letter to employees asking them to cease the strike and return to the negotiating table on Friday so that the port can return to normal operations and a climate of good faith can be restored.

"We are inviting you back to the dialogue because we have common interests and confrontation will result in no winners," the OLP letter said. It added that the strike has already resulted in very serious financial, commercial and social consequences -- as of Wednesday, more than 8,000 containers sat idly at the port.