Workers strike over measures

As European Commission officials stressed that additional austerity measures might be necessary to get Greece’s tottering economy back on track, customs officials and Finance Ministry employees staged walkouts to protest cuts to their supplementary income payments.

The action by the customs officials, due to last three days, is expected to cause serious disruptions to fuel supplies. Emergency staff will be on hand to ensure that pharmaceuticals and certain perishable goods are allowed through.

Meanwhile employees from state bodies falling under the Finance Ministry, including the National Statistical Service and the General Accounting Office, started a four-day walkout. Both the customs officials and the Finance Ministry workers had joined a strike last Wednesday by the main civil servants’ union ADEDY. Tax office workers, who also joined last week’s ADEDY action, are to stage a 24-hour strike tomorrow.