Municipal workers threaten action over court jobs ruling

Unions representing local authority workers on short-term contracts are threatening to call strike action if 15,000 workers lose their jobs in line with a court ruling issued earlier this week that found government legislation extending their contracts to be unconstitutional.

Municipal sanitation staff employed on short-term contracts in Thessaloniki on Friday began a three-day strike to protest the ruling. On Tuesday morning employees are to gather outside the Interior Ministry in Athens to protest the court’s decision and demand job security.

Meanwhile government sources said authorities would find a way to ensure that workers on short-term contracts keep their jobs.

In its ruling, which was made public on Thursday, the State Audit Council said that the permanent hiring of short-term contract workers is unconstitutional and that local authority employees cannot receive payment for any services rendered after the expiry of their original contract.