New General Strike in Greece Over Rail Disaster to Ground Planes

By Tasos Kokkinidis
March 14, 2023

A new nationwide strike will take place in Greece on Thursday over the deadly rail collision at Tempi that claimed the lives of 57 people.

The General Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE), the Civil Servants’ Confederation (ADEDY), and the Panhellenic Maritime Federation (PNO) have all called industrial action.

“The crime at Tempi will not be covered up. We claim the life that we deserve, a life with contemporary rights, a better future for us and our children,” notes the Civil Servants’ Confederation.

“For all the workers in Greece, investigating the affair in depth and assigning blame to those responsible, as well as the implementation of measures to not mourn any other lives, is a central issue for society and is at the epicenter of our strike,” stated the General Confederation of Greek Workers.

Planes grounded during the general strike in Greece

Greece’s air traffic controllers announced that they will join the 24-hour strike on Thursday. As a result, many flights will be canceled.

Aegean και η Olympic Air announced that all their domestic and international flights will be canceled.

“Aegean and Olympic Air inform passengers that they are obliged to cancel all scheduled domestic and international network flights,” says a joint announcement by the airlines.

It adds that “passengers with tickets on affected flights will receive a message from the company or from the respective travel agencies through which they purchased their tickets.”

Buses will join the nationwide strike on Thursday with work stoppages from the start of the shift until 9:00 and from 21:00 until the end of the shift, the OASA staff union announced on Tuesday.

They will run normally between 9:00 and 21:00, leaving their depots at 8:30 in the morning.

Other transport unions are expected to join the strike bringing Greece to a standstill.

Public anger over train disaster grows

Public anger over the rail accident that claimed 57 lives is growing in Greece.

Last week, hundreds of thousands of protestors gathered across major cities and communities in Greece to call for answers and justice in the wake of the train disaster that has plunged the country into sorrow and anger.

In Athens alone, tens of thousands marched in the city center. Many of the protestors have expressed beliefs that the disaster was the result of criminal mismanagement and negligence.

Related: Train Disaster Derails Greece’s Political Establishment

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