Strike over and pricey gas flows again
Gas stations in Athens and other parts of Greece were able to serve customers again yesterday after customs officials called off their strike four days after they began action that led to the country running out of fuel. Although drivers were relieved to be able to fill up their tanks again, many complained that the price of unleaded fuel had risen by 3 to 5 cents since the start of the week. Gas station owners said that this was not due to their profiteering but because the distilleries had raised their prices by 4 cents as of last Saturday. They added that it would take two days for gas stations to resume normal service. The strike was only called off at about 5 a.m. after a marathon session of the general assembly of the customs officers’ union. In the end, there were 16 votes in favor of resuming work and 15 in favor of continuing the strike. The vote came after representatives held talks with the government on Thursday as they sought to obtain assurances that the civil servants’ benefits would not be affected by changes in they way they are paid. However, a possibly vital factor in convincing the customs officers to go back to work was the decision late on Thursday by a first instance court to rule the strike illegal.
