Thessaloniki bus drivers start rolling strikes

Workers at the Thessaloniki Urban Transport Organization (OASTH) have announced a series of six- and 24-hour strikes starting on Tuesday and lasting until July 22 at least unless their demands are met.

The workers are calling for a collective labor agreement that would safeguard the terms of their employment, while also claiming that they are owed unspecified amounts of money in special subsidies held back by the company’s management and also face the risk of seeing their salaries shrink further.

Protesting the “competent ministries’ indifference,” the union representing OASTH employees on Monday announced work stoppage running from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on July 5, 7, 11, 15 and 20, another stoppage from the start of the shift until 9 a.m. and from 9 p.m. to the end of the shift on July 13, and 24-hour walkouts on July 18 and 22.

Thessaloniki commuters and visitors are entirely reliant on public buses as the northern port city does not have a metro system. The stoppages will affect transportation to and from the airport and port.