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In Greece, transport services came to a standstill on Wednesday as workers across various sectors participated in a 24-hour strike, demanding higher pay to offset the increasing cost of living. The strike, organized by Greece’s largest private sector union GSEE, saw ships docked at ports and train services suspended, while bus and taxi drivers also briefly joined the protest.
Hundreds of striking workers gathered outside the parliament in central Athens, causing disruptions to road traffic, to voice their concerns over wages that have yet to catch up with those of their European counterparts. Despite Greece's economic growth in recent years, fueled in part by its recovery from the 2010-18 debt crisis, workers argue that pay increases have failed to keep pace with rising food and housing expenses.
Although the monthly minimum gross wage saw a 6.4% increase to 830 euros this month, marking the fourth rise in five years, workers contend that it is insufficient to address their financial challenges. Nikos Kioutsoukis, a senior GSEE official, emphasized that soaring prices are eroding the impact of wage hikes and called for substantial increases to ensure workers' livelihoods are protected.
Greece's average monthly salary stands at 1,175 euros, a 20% decrease from 15 years ago, while unemployment rates remain above 10%, trailing only behind Spain in the European Union. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis's conservative government, re-elected last June, has pledged to raise the monthly minimum wage to 950 euros by 2027 and boost the average wage by over 25% to 1,500 euros within the same timeframe.
Source: AP
