Greek truckers extend strike
GREECE: Greek truckers defied an emergency Government order to
lift their strike Thursday and return to work, postponing a decision
until yesterday.
Greece's 33,000 hauliers walked out Monday to protest against
government plans to slash the price of new licenses, a key
liberalisation reform prescribed in a multi-billion euro EU/IMF bailout
plan for the debt-laden country.
They risk criminal persecution and loss of license after the
goverment evoked emergency powers on Wednesday to order them to get back
behind the wheel, citing public health risks from the lack of food, fuel
and medicines delivered to retailers.
The back-to-work order was issued about 7.30 p.m. local time
Wednesday and the truckers had 24 hours to comply, a deadline they
disregarded.
Meanwhile, talks with the government continued on Thursday, producing
a new set of proposals on which the truckers' general assembly will
decide on Friday, a union leader said.
"The federations will express their position on what we have
negotiated," George Tzortzatos, head of Greece's Truck Owners'
Confederation, told reporters without elaborating. ATHENS, Friday,
Reuters |