Ferries to remain moored again
No passenger ferries will sail on Thursday, prolonging the disruption to connections between the mainland and Greece?s islands for a third consecutive day.
Thursday’s scheduled crossings have been canceled because of a 24-hour strike by the Panhellenic Seamen?s Federation (PNO).
The union is protesting a provision in the midterm fiscal plan that will lead to sailors? pensions being cut by 6 percent. The protest action means that no ferries will sail from Piraeus, Lavrio or Rafina.
Ferry services had been disrupted on the previous two days as well. However, this was not because PNO was taking part in the 48-hour general strike. In fact, the union did not join in the protest. The ferries were hampered by protests from members of the Communist Party-affiliated PAME labor union who prevented passengers from boarding the vessels.
The ferry firms made it known that they had expected the PAME protests and had asked the coast guard to ensure that the unionists would not be able to prevent the ships from traveling.
