Universities to strike until July
Thousands of university students were faced yesterday with the prospect of early holidays at the expense of a lost term, after professors decided to protract their ongoing strike until the end of June. Following a six-hour session, the national university professors’ union agreed to continue their action, which has affected many universities since the second half of May – a few days before end-of-term exams were about to start – unless the Ministry of Education bends to their demands in the meantime. The union is seeking 12-percent salary increases, better retirement deals and higher pensions. But the government, while making concessions on the question of pensions, was unable to meet the salary demands. Yesterday’s decision, which is expected to be confirmed over the next few days by university departmental assemblies, made an exception for students in their last year, for whom exams will be held. The universities of northern Greece as well as the Athens University of Economics and Business have not been affected by the strike so far.
