Greek power workers set summer strikes over jobs

ATHENS, June 9 (Reuters) - Workers at Public Power Corp (DEHr.AT), Greece's biggest electricity company, said they will strike next month to press for 7,000 new hirings.

Labour walkouts last year led to widespread power cuts, forcing state-controlled PPC to shut down units and boost imports from Bulgaria and Italy.

PPC employees will stop working overtime for two weeks from June 29 and hold rolling 24-hour strikes after July 20, labour union leader Nikos Fotopoulos told Reuters on Tuesday.

"We're determined and we'll fight hard," said Fotopoulos, president of the GENOP labour union, which represents some 23,600 full-time workers at the company.

Greece's electricity grid is particularly strained in the summer heat, when residents and tourists turn up air coolers.

Workers want PPC, which posted a record 219.5 million euro ($304.7 million) profit in the first quarter, to hire 7,000 new staff to reduce strain on current employees and cut accidents.

PPC said four of its employees have died in accidents since the beginning of the year. (Reporting by Harry Papachristou; Editing by Ingrid Melander and David Cowell)