Municipal workers shut down city center

Disgruntled local authority workers ride to Parliament in a motorcycle rally in downtown Athens, on Wednesday. Their rally and protest march caused traffic jams in the center of the Greek capital, which is also seeing a buildup of trash on the streets due to a two-day strike called by the municipal workers’ union, POE-OTA. The union objects to plans for certain municipal services, such as garbage collection and sanitation, to be contracted out to private companies. It has also said that it is prepared to escalate its action in Athens, Thessaloniki and other cities, if its demands are not met. [InTime News]