Unpaid workers from textile firms…
Unpaid workers from textile firms which have suspended operations protest at the Macedonia-Thrace Ministry in Thessaloniki yesterday. One firm, Voulinos, yesterday had its electricity cut off because it didn’t pay its bills. Voulinos and another firm, Iliofin, were on in a long list of companies released by the government yesterday which have received investment subsidies in recent years, and, in breach of rules, either laid off staff, or transferred operations to neighboring Balkan countries. Other such firms went out of business. A delegation of workers is planning to meet with ministers next week. According to Thessaloniki Labor Center data, more than 1,100 textile industry jobs were lost in the city alone in the last 12 months. Other sectors, such as construction, furniture and food processing, have also been affected by layoffs in the city. Meanwhile, the Textile Manufacturers’ Association yesterday complained of irregularities in the tenders for procurements for the armed forces.
