General Strike in Greece Disrupts Services, Sparks Protests
Date
3/16/2023 5:17:54 AM
(MENAFN) A general strike in Greece has caused widespread disruptions to services and grounded flights in response to a recent rail disaster. The strike, called by unions in solidarity with railway workers’ associations that have staged rolling walkouts, has resulted in protests in cities across the country. The strike has also led to the cancellation of classes at state-run schools, halted public transport services, left public hospitals running with emergency staff, and kept ferries to the Greek islands at port.
The strike comes after a head-on train collision in northern Greece on February 28, which left 57 people dead and dozens injured. The government has promised to restart rail services on March 22 and restore them gradually through April 11. Additional staff will be deployed to monitor safety, and mandatory speed reduction rules will be implemented along sections of the track.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ center-right government, which faces parliamentary elections before the summer, has seen a strong lead in opinion polls reduced in recent weeks over its main rival, the left-wing Syriza party. The two sides are locked in an ideological debate over how to reform Greece’s antiquated rail network. Mitsotakis has promised clearer boundaries between privatized services and the authorities overseeing them and has sought assistance from European Union experts in drawing up the changes.
However, his political opponents argue that the poorly managed dismantling of agencies under state control has ultimately compromised rail safety. The recent rail disaster has fueled public anger, and the general strike reflects the growing frustration with the government's handling of the situation. The protests in cities across Greece are expected to continue, as unions and railway workers’ associations demand more significant action to improve rail safety and working conditions.
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