PM also takes issue with striking Athens metro workers
Commenting on a staff walkout on the Athens metro that left thousands of commuters stranded and motorists caught up in traffic jams all over the Greek capital on Tuesday morning, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said that the “government will not be blackmailed by 21 people who were simply asked to do their jobs.”
In a post on Twitter, Mitsotakis heralded measures that will ensure that public transportation can operate with a minimum number of workers in the event of union strikes, while apologizing to the people of Athens for the hassle they were subjected to as a result of the strike.
The prime minister’s comments echoed those of Transport Minister Kostas Karamanlis, who said earlier that the government will not tolerate one small group of unionists holding thousands of commuters “hostage.”
Workers on the Athens metro object to a decision by the company’s management to transfer workers from their regular posts to other positions where there are staff shortages. Karamanlis said this decision affects just 21 employees.
