More strikes planned for the new week

The wave of strikes is set to continue to trouble the country as unionists are determined to fight on despite the voting of the new law on state finance last Thursday by Parliament. Industrial action is set to affect public transport, schools, taxis and even the supply of goods to many areas.

Public transport workers are planning a 24-hour strike for Tuesday, October 25, pending approval by some of their unions, with more action set to follow from the first week of November.

Owners of public-use trucks (transporting fuel and other goods) are planning a long-lasting strike as soon as the government tables its bill for the liberalization of the taxi market in Parliament. The bill will include an amendment to regulations about trucks, bringing forward their full liberalization.

On Saturday teachers will decide about their next moves, with the secondary-education teachers union (OLME) proposing three-day rolling strikes starting from Monday, while the primary-education union (DOE) opts for rolling five-day strikes.

The Finance Ministry?s General Secretariat of Information Systems remains closed due to a sit-in, which hampers the issuing of tax invoices, while Finance Ministry employees continue their strike until Thursday.