Living in Greece

Strikes and protests in Greece

Olympic flame burned overnight at Acropolis. — naftemporiki.gr

Created with residents and travelers in mind, this regularly updated page from official sources aims to provide information about current and upcoming strikes in Greece.

The goal of strikes is to cause maximum inconvenience and pressure government officials or corporate executives, so strikes in Greece as in most countries are rarely announced more than a week in advance, can happen spontaneously and change hourly.

Please do not ask me to predict strikes for certain dates. I understand you are looking for reassurance, but all I can give you is factual information and refer you to “Q&A: Strikes in Greece,” where I answer 10 commonly asked questions about safety, riots and what you can do to minimize risk.

Bookmark livingingreece.gr/strikes, or be notified of strikes in Greece by following me on Twitter @livingingreece.

*Last updated May 17, 2012 at 00:15. I work as a journalist and do my best to keep everyone updated 24/7 since 2008, but note that livingingreece.gr and @livingingreece are unpaid side projects.

EY card holders enjoy train ticket discounts from April 1. — ose.gr

The list is arranged chronologically and compiled from major news agencies and union/transportation websites, translated from Greek to English when necessary.

All sources are cited, linked and transparent. Inaccuracies are attributed to the news agency quoted.

May

Ongoing:

• Downtown Athens: Pedestrian street ‘Koronis’ will be closed until August 12. — Ta Nea (in Greek)
  
• Lab workers and clinicians in Athens encouraged to stop cooperation with state health system (EOPYY) by ISA union, from today until further notice. — Naftemporiki (in Greek) *Participation is highly individual. EOPYY doctors refuse to administer services on insurance credit. Cash only, due to unpaid debts. — Kathimerini (in English)
• Lake Vegoritida: Fishing is prohibited until June 10. — Naftemporiki (in Greek)
• Pharmacists in Athens, Piraeus and Achaia to only accept cash for prescriptions from March 1. Insurance funds have been cut off due to unpaid debts and broken promises of payment. — Naftemporiki (in Greek)
  – Attica said it would not honor TSMEDE, TSAY, DEH, ISAP, Emporiki Trapeza, TAP OTE, Trapeza Pisteos, YEN and Dikigorous Athinon. — To Vima, SKAI, To Vima (in Greek)
  – Readers tell me that Athens pharmacies are also refusing to issue IKA prescriptions
  – Prescriptions for EOPYY (OPAD and OAEE) should be honored as of April 10. — Ta Nea (in Greek)
• Pharmacists across Greece to stop credit to EOPYY on May 23. — Naftemporiki (in Greek)
• Suburban railway/proastiako
  – Not running trains on the Piraeus/Ano Liosia route until further notice, while a technical problem is being repaired. — Athens Transport, Ta Nea (in Greek)
  – Has suspended operation of trains after 21:00 until further notice between Airport–Ano Liosia and Airport–Kiato. It will not affect metro routes. — To Vima (in Greek)
• Train ticket discounts began April 1 for European Youth Card holders. Tickets for routes Athens-Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki-Alexandroupoli, Athens-Kalambaka cost 12 euros one way — except during high volume/season days — when booked at least 48 hours in advance with card at an OSE station or travel agency. Online booking will eventually be available — Naftemporiki (in Greek)

May 16: Events for Wednesday.

• Athens: Pay-and-display parking returns to downtown Athens after five-month hiatus. — Kathimerini (in English)
• British Airways jet arrives in Athens to pick up Olympic flame destined for London 2012. — Athens International Airport (in English)

May 17: Events for Thursday.

• Athens: Olympic flame scheduled to end its Greek journey at 19:00 in Kallimarmaro, before boarding a flight to continue toward London 2012. — HOC Press Release (in Greek)
• Athens bus routes will be diverted due to Olympic torch relay. — Athens Transport (in Greek)
  – A good jumping on/off point is Syngrou Fix, where you can transfer between metro, buses, tram or trolleys.
• Athens trolley routes will be diverted due to Olympic torch relay. — Athens Transport (in Greek)
  – A good jumping on/off point is Syngrou Fix, where you can transfer between metro, buses, tram or trolleys.
• Downtown Athens will be impacted by Olympic torch relay, with parking and stopping prohibitions from 9:00 and traffic disruptions from 16:00 as the flame makes its way to final destination (see above). — Greek Police Press Release (in Greek)

May 18: Events for Friday.

• Archaeological sites and museums: Free admission to celebrate International Museums Day. — “Free admission days in Greece”
  – Some, but not all, locations offer free admission May 18, 19 and 20, with free events for children on Sunday. — To Vima (in Greek)
  – Acropolis Museum will be open 8:00-22:00 with free admission. Music at 11:00 and 19:00. — Acropolis Museum Press Release (in Greek & English)
• Olympic flame departs Athens on BA jet at 15:15. — Athens International Airport (in English)

May 19: Events for Saturday.

• Archaeological sites and museums: Participating locations to open late and offer free admission (limitations apply) to celebrate European Night of Museums. — “Free admission days in Greece”
  – Acropolis Museum will be open 8:00-midnight, with free admission from 20:00 onwards. Concert at 21:30. — Acropolis Museum Press Release (in Greek & English)

May 20: Events for Sunday.

• Acropolis Museum in Athens offering visitors a glimpse of the Parthenon in 3D, with a 10-minute film in the Virtual Reality Room. Playing every Saturday and Sunday at 11:00 in English and 12:00 in Greek, limited to 40 people per screening and costs 1 euro. — Acropolis Museum Press Release (in English),  To Vima (in Greek)
• Hellenic Cosmos Cultural Centre now screening “Journey to ancient Priene,” a virtual reality trip and interactive tour every Friday at 16:00 and every Sunday at 10:15 from March 23. More info and directions. – HCCC Website (in English), To Vima (in Greek)

May 23: Events for Wednesday.

• Pharmacists on 24-hour strike. — Naftemporiki (in Greek)

May 24: Events for Thursday.

• Acropolis Rally: Ceremonial start at 17:00 (you guessed it) under the Acropolis in Athens. Select streets will be closed, as every year. — Acropolis Rally Website

June

June 15: Events for Friday.

• Food service and tourism workers on 24-hour strike, with possible impact on restaurant, bakery and tourist-related services at airports, ports, hotels and tour companies. — Naftemporiki (in Greek)
• Tax deadline: Last day to file 2012 tax returns online for the 2011 tax year, which applies to all taxpayers, regardless of AFM. Anyone with income 12,000+ must file online, except pensioners. — Naftemporiki (in Greek)

July

July 10: Events for Tuesday.

• Food service and tourism workers plan 24-hour strike, with possible impact on restaurant, bakery and tourist-related services at airports, ports, hotels and tour companies. — Naftemporiki (in Greek)

July 11: Events for Wednesday.

• Food service and tourism workers plan 24-hour strike, with possible impact on restaurant, bakery and tourist-related services at airports, ports, hotels and tour companies. — Naftemporiki (in Greek)

Pending

Gas station owners threaten to strike, protesting government revisions to distances between stations and pension haircut. — To Vima (in Greek), Kathimerini (in English)

General Confederation of Retailers said it would step up protests, but gave no dates or specifics. — WSJ (in English)

KTEL bus drivers say they will mobilize again after Easter. — Naftemporiki (in Greek)

Pharmacists threaten to strike again. — Ta Nea (in Greek)

*Note that strikes rarely ‘paralyze’ or ‘cripple’ Greece, as described in international media. Most residents go to work, continue lives unimpeded and help travelers find solutions and alternatives. We know how to navigate around strikes.

Kleiston means closed. — enet.gr

Information about Strikers and Unions

What follows is a brief description of major unions, what services are affected by strikes, and when and where announcements can typically be expected. All unions are separate entities and make their own decisions, which are not necessarily based on a majority vote.

ADEDY: The public sector union Ανώτατη Διοίκηση Ενώσεων Δημοσίων Υπαλλήλων (ΑΔΕΔΥ), or Civil Servants’ Confederation, represents approximately 800,000 civil servants in Greece but not all workers are members, and strikes are not decided by referendum. Therefore, participation can vary by individual and location.

A strike will typically affect everything run or owned by the Greek government, including: Archaeological sites and museums, some banks, hospitals (public), post offices, public services affecting residents (courthouses, local, municipal, prefecture, tax offices). All announcements are made in Greek via their website: www.adedy.gr

Aegean Airlines: Because Aegean Airlines has its hub in Athens, it has little choice but to cancel or alter flight schedules if air traffic controllers (EEEKE) and/or the local aviation union (OSYPA) decide to strike. Press releases are typically published in Greek and English less than 48 hours before a strike via their website: www.aegeanair.com

Airports: All airports in Greece are closed when air traffic controllers/ATCs (EEEKE) are on strike. However, only participating domestic, local airports are affected when the Federation of Civil Aviation (OSYPA) announces a strike. See below.

Air traffic controllers/ATC (EEEKE): Ένωσης Ελεγκτών Εναέριας Κυκλοφορίας Ελλάδας (EEEKE), or Greek Air Traffic Controllers Association (GATCA), represents 653 air traffic controllers in Greece who earn an average salary of €3,000/month paid from Eurocontrol funds. They can choose to follow unions and strike the same day or not. When the union calls a strike, airports nationwide are forced to close, and all international flights to/from Greece and all domestic flights within the country must be canceled.

Strikes of this kind can be ruled illegal by a court. Sometimes it’s honored, sometimes it goes ahead in spite of it.

During work-to-rule protests or “white strikes,” there is no overtime and strict adherence to Greek airspace rules, which state that a limited number of international and domestic flights can depart and land. If a plane does not depart within a time window that can be as little as 5 minutes, it loses its place in the queue and could wait several hours. This has a domino effect, in that late departures could mean destination airports are unable to accommodate late arrivals, and passengers miss connecting flights and must be re-booked.

Announcements are primarily made via the Greek media in Greek, and English-language media when it’s newsworthy, which can be less than 24 hours notice. The EEEKE website is an unreliable source, since only half are posted at: www.eeeke.gr

Athens transportation (OASA): Οργανισμός Αστικών Συγκοινωνιών Αθηνών (ΟΑΣΑ), or the Athens Urban Transport Authority, concerns city and airport buses (ETHEL), trolleys (ILPAP), tram (TRAM SA), metro (AMEL) and the green line of metro or elektrikos (ISAP). Mass public transport is called μέσα μαζικής μεταφοράς (MMM). They are often urged to strike 24 hours in conjunction with unions, though some modes may operate briefly to transport protesters to/from a demonstration or rally.

Announcements in Greek are posted first by Greek media, then on the OASA website: www.oasa.gr. English-language media wait until less than 24 hours or the day of the strike.

Communists Workers Group (PAME): Members of the Πανεργατικό Αγωνιστικό Μέτωπο (ΠΑΜΕ), or Communists Workers Group, stage a variety of strikes that range from street protests, occupations and port blockades. All strikes are posted in Greek on their website: www.pamehellas.gr

Federation of Hellenic Civil Aviation (OSYPA): When Ομοσπονδία Συλλόγων Υπηρεσίας Πολιτικής Αεροπορίας (ΟΣΥΠΑ) decides to strike, only domestic airports and flights within Greece may be affected depending on participation by the individual and location. International flights to/from Athens and Thessaloniki go ahead if air traffic controllers (EEEKE) are not on strike. Announcements are made in Greek via the Greek media and rarely on the OSYPA website: www.osypa.gr

Ferries and ships: There are 14 separate unions representing nautical operations, and it only takes one dissenter to cause disruptions in ferry or port services. When a court rules a strike illegal or if ferry companies and port workers state their intention to provide services, union members are still capable of blocking access to the dock or preventing passengers from embarking/disembarking. The majority of announcements come via the Greek media in Greek.

Most disruptions are caused by the Πανελλήνιας Ναυτικής Ομοσπονδίας (ΠΝΟ), or Pan-Hellenic Maritime Federation (PNO), which occasionally publishes press releases at: www.pno.gr

GENOP/DEH-KHE: Γενική Ομοσπονδία Εργαζομένων/ΔΕΗ-Κλάδου Ηλεκτρικής Ενέργειας (ΓΕΝΟΠ/ΔΕΗ-ΚΗΕ), or the General Confederation of Electric Power Workers, is a union representing employees of power company DEH/PPC in Greece. Strikes take the form of rolling, half-hour or one-hour blackouts; and are announced in Greek on websites: www.dei.gr or www.genop.gr

GSEE: The private sector union Γενική Συνομοσπονδία Εργατών Ελλάδας (ΓΣΕΕ), or General Confederation of Greek Labor (GSEE), represents approximately 2 million employees in Greece, though not all workers are members and strikes are not decided by referendum. With businesses on the brink of bankruptcy, privately owned businesses and companies remain open normal hours on strike days simply because they are fighting for survival and want to welcome customers. Employees also have no reason to lose wages and their jobs. All strikes are announced in Greek by Greek media and the union’s website: www.gsee.gr

KTEL long-distance buses are privately owned and rarely affected by strikes, even when the Ομοσπονδίας Συνδικάτων Μεταφορών Ελλάδας (ΟΣΜΕ) announces them. Owners, who constitute 90 percent of KTEL’s work force, opt out and continue to run routes. The union’s website can be found at: www.osme.org.gr

Journalists: Journalists working as part of the Ελληνικών Μέσων Μαζικής Επικοινωνίας (MME), or Greek mass information media, must strike when board members call a blackout, even if they disagree since they do not have voting rights. Foreign press continue to disseminate news. Most strikes begin at 6:00 and last 24 hours, though they can end sooner if a compelling event occurs, i.e., On May 5, 2010, journalists broke their strike when three innocents died when Marfin Bank was firebombed by hooded youth.

Announcements are in Greek via: a) Greek media; b) Πανελλήνια Ομοσπονδία Ενώσεων Συντακτών (POESY) or the Panhellenic Federation of Journalists Union at www.poesy.gr; or c) Ενώσεως Συντακτών Ημερησίων Εφημερίδων Αθηνών (ΕΣΗΕΑ), or Journalists Union of Athens Daily Newspapers, at www.esiea.gr.

Lawyers (DSE): Δικηγορικών Συλλόγων Ελλάδος (ΔΣΕ), or the Bar Association of Greece, decides whether lawyers nationwide will strike but any of 63 individual prefectures can vote differently. When lawyers are on strike, court cases must be delayed and rescheduled. Announcements are made by Greek media.

Olympic Air: Olympic Air has its hub in Athens and has no choice but to cancel or alter flight schedules if air traffic controllers (EEEKE) and/or the local aviation union (OSYPA) decide to strike. Press releases are first published in Greek then English less than 48 hours before a strike via their website: www.olympicair.com

Taxi Drivers: Taxi drivers stage 24-hour strikes that normally begin at 5:00, with announcements made via Greek media. If public transport goes on strike, taxi companies are known to decline appointments unless you’re a regular customer, and standing on the street and/or sharing a cab will be necessary. Customers can report bad behavior by writing down the license plate number, then calling the tourist police at ’171.’ The taxi complaint hotline was shut down due to budget cuts.

There are several individual taxi associations, with the largest in Athens and in Thessaloniki. The Athens division (SATA) posts announcements at: www.satataxi.gr. The national Pan-Hellenic Federation of Taxi Drivers and Owners, or Πανελλήνια Ομοσπονδία Επαγγελματιών Ιδιοκτητών Αυτοκινητιστών Ταξί και Αγοραίων (ΠΟΕΙΑΤΑ), sometimes posts strike information and announcements on its website: www.poeiata.gr

Teachers/Professors: Determining what schools and universities are on strike is difficult, as some classes within the same institution on the same day may go forward while others will not; and parents rarely get advance notice or are only informed after dropping off children and must go back to pick them up. Announcements are published in Greek by Greek media and occasionally by unions: a) Ομοσπονδία Λειτουργών Μέσης Εκπαίδευσης (ΟΛΜΕ), or Federation of Secondary Education Teachers (OLME) at www.olme.gr; and b) Διδασκαλική Ομοσπονδία Ελλάδας (ΔΟΕ), or Teachers Federation of Greece, at www.doe.gr

Thessaloniki transportation (OASTH): Οργανισμός Αστικών Συγκοινωνιών Θεσσαλονίκης (ΟΑΣΘ), or Thessaloniki Urban Transport Authority, oversees city and airport buses, plus the future Thessaloniki metro. Announcements are posted in Greek on its website: www.oasth.gr

Trains (TRAINOSE): TRAINΟΣΕ — formerly Οργανισμός Σιδηροδρόμων Ελλάδος (ΟΣΕ) or Hellenic Railways (OSE) until December 2008 — is an independent company overseen by the ministry of transport, which manages operations of the long-distance train network and suburban railway (proastiakos). During strikes, the train network operates on an emergency or “social needs” basis and the suburban railway stops service to the Athens airport and Piraeus port in Athens. Announcements are typically in Greek from Greek media and OASA. The company website posts only half of strikes: www.trainose.com

In the News

“Athens logs 496 closures due to strikes and protests in 2010” — Kathimerini
“High cost of Athens riot vandalism” — Ta Nea
“Mayor wants Athens rallies regulated” — Kathimerini
“Police record 5,910 protests in Greece for 2011” — Ta Nea

This Page

The idea for this page was born from more than a decade of frustration, living in Greece without timely advance notice of strikes in English and hearing people spread inaccurate information in forums, while Greeks had plenty of warning. I first wrote individual posts in 2008 and 2009, but this proved time consuming as strike action intensified and my full-time personal and professional commitments limited how fast I could post news.

Following conversations with Easy Travel Report, a one-stop page was created. Predictably, a dozen websites and Twitter feeds copied the idea in 2010, which makes no sense in the case of Greek speakers since they already had access to this information.

The Author

Kat is a well-traveled American journalist and author who lives and works full time in Athens. To learn more, see “About Me.”

• Livingingreece.gr was created in 2007 to present meticulously researched original articles that fill a gap left by traditional media, government portals and commercial websites run by people without credentials.
• @LivinginGreece is a Twitter feed curated from recognized Greek and international news agencies to provide breaking news about Greece, plus real-time updates and insider tips mined from 14 years experience.

Note: Please note my copyright policy and be aware that plagiarism and copyright violations will be pursued.

Shortlink: http://is.gd/strikes