Power firm unionists launch strikes
The powerful union representing workers of the Public Power Corporation, GENOP, is to start rolling 48-hour strikes on Monday morning in protest at the government?s insistence on pushing ahead with the privatization of PPC.
It is expected that the strikes will cause widespread blackouts. Unionists have called the action two weeks before the government is to submit legislation in Parliament paving the way for the state to reduce its holdings in PPC from 51 percent to 34 percent.
The provision is part of the government?s controversial midterm fiscal program which also foresees new tax increases and spending cuts in the public sector.
PPC unionists have demanded talks with new Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos and his predecessor George Papaconstantinou, who has assumed the Environment and Energy portfolio.