Union of striking garbage collectors to make counterproposal to gov’t

With a heat wave expected later this week, the Greek government and the union representing garbage collectors are sparring over a job dispute as trash piles up in the streets. 

The government is on Monday to submit draft legislation to Parliament pledging to renew job contracts for thousands municipal garbage works. But over the weekend unionists rejected the proposal for 2,500 hirings, noting that most of those currently on short-term contracts would be disqualified from a competition due to their age. They said on Monday that they would submit a counter-proposal to the government. 

Unionists insist that the government fulfill commitments to provide permanent jobs for contract workers, a move that would likely violate the budget restrictions imposed by Greece's international creditors.