‘Civil war’ hits civil aviation
Civil Aviation Authority (YPA) staff yesterday threatened to stage a series of strikes from this Friday unless the government stops what they call its «preferential treatment» of air-traffic controllers and levels out the salaries of YPA staff. Flight disruptions are likely if staff join a two-day strike from this Friday and a three-day strike from next Tuesday, called for yesterday by the umbrella union representing YPA employees. Unionists criticized the «government’s favoring of air-traffic controllers» who, they said, receive monthly salaries and benefits of 5,000 euros and 1,500 euros respectively, and who are eligible for more than 100,000 euros in redundancy payouts. They also reproached Communications and Transport Minister Christos Verelis and Economy Minister Nikos Christodoulakis for their «continued tactic… of providing preferential treatment to a certain group of staff (controllers) while displaying total indifference to the remaining workers.» Unionists said strikes would continue into the tourist season unless alleged inequalities were evened out.
