Thousands of protesters in Athens demanded pay rise from authorities
Thousands of Greeks took to the streets of Athens on April 9th to demand a pay rise due to the rising cost of living. As a result of the one-day strike, ferry and train services were halted and flights cancelled, Reuters reports.
Along with air traffic controllers, sailors and railway workers, municipal employees, bus drivers and metro workers took to the streets.
“Greece’s largest trade unions say that the conservative government has increased the monthly minimum wage by a cumulative 35 percent to 880 Euros since 2019. But many households still struggle to make ends meet amid rising food, power and housing costs,” the article says.
The General Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE), which represents more than two million private sector workers, said that due to inflation, Greek workers are starting to buy 10 percent fewer goods compared to 2019, and called for significant wage increases and collective agreements.
According to the news agency, the minimum wage in Greece was one of the lowest in the European Union in January, after Portugal and Lithuania, according to Eurostat data.
