(MENAFN) On Wednesday, Greece's largest labor union initiated a 24-hour strike, causing disruptions across public transportation and ferry services bound for the islands. The General Union of Greek Workers organized the strike, citing grievances over the soaring cost of living and advocating for wage increases alongside the reinstatement of collective bargaining rights.
The impact of the strike reverberated across key sectors, with ferry services to both the Aegean and Ionian Seas being suspended, alongside disruptions to the subway train system in Athens. The strike further halted taxi and bus services intermittently, with even hospital doctors participating in the protest.
Simultaneously, a significant number of individuals, estimated by police to be around four thousand, congregated in the heart of the capital to voice their support for the strike through demonstrations.
This recent strike marks the second of its kind within a span of six weeks, reflecting a mounting wave of social discontent against Kyriakos Mitsotakis' conservative government, just under a year since his New Democracy party secured re-election. Union leaders have specifically denounced the ongoing liberalization of the labor market and the concurrent decline in wages, a trend perceived as contradictory to the backdrop of economic growth.
Despite the public outcry and union criticisms, the ruling New Democracy party maintains its lead over the opposition in opinion polls, a notable dynamic given the approaching European Parliament elections slated for June 9th. The strike serves as a tangible expression of the dissatisfaction simmering within Greece's workforce, underscoring broader tensions surrounding economic policies and labor rights under the current administration.
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