Greek seafarers strike extended

When initially calling the strike, the umbrella federation, the Panhellenic Seamens Federation (PNO) warned there was a chance the action would be extended by its 13-member unions. The PNO had already announced seafarers will participate in the nationwide private sector’s 24-hour strike, on 8 December and close to home the latest extension means tens of thousands of islanders will be without sea-links for a week, inflicting a major blow to local economies.

The Crew Union of the Tug Boats is also participating in the strike action and operations are affected at the ports of Piraeus, Aspropyrgos, Eleusis and Pachi / Megara as well as ports around the country, thus during the strike period, vessels are not be able to berth, shift or sail from the affected ports.

The latest extension was called after a 5 December march by unionists on the Piraeus waterfront-based Shipping and Island Policy ministry resulted in a meeting between PNO leaders and Shipping minister, Panagiotis Kouioumblis, during which the minister failed to convince the PNO the government was not going to alter seafarers' tax status.

A change to the seafarers tax status is being dictated by Greece’s creditors, the so-called 'troika' comprising the European Commission, European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund. The EC, ECB and IMF demand various changes to taxation legislation, as part of the changes Greece has to implement in order to receive further financial support.

The special tax status of seafarers which currently costs the state EUR91.2m a year, will either be diluted or abolished altogether.

The PNO claimed seafarers taxable income will “go up to a rate of 45%; even more if the special solidarity levy is added”.

“The seafarers profession is being led on the path to complete extinction,” said the PNO.

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