transport sector comes to Parliament in 15 days time.
Workers in the Athens metro defied a court order to end their strike, which had been declared illegal in a ruling on Monday, picketing key stations to ensure the strike was not broken.
The only public transport running on Wednesday were the tram and Proastiakos railway line, producing gridlock on all major Athens roads.
Public transport staff accuse the transport ministry of not conducting true dialogue on the proposed reforms and stressed that they were also fighting against an excessive increase in fares, which jumped from 28 to 80 percent as of February 1. The breakdown in talks ensued when the ministry went ahead and tabled the draft bill in Parliament, virtually unchanged, while talks with the unions were still continuing.
The government has so far proved reluctant to resort to civil mobilisation measures used to break strikes by lorry drivers and dock workers in the summer.
Apart from public transport staff, doctors in state hospitals and social insurance fund health centres are also escalating protest and strike action. Doctors were continuing an occupation of the health ministry on Wednesday in protest against proposed health sector reforms, while hospital doctors announced a last-minute 24-hour strike.
Social Insurance Foundation (IKA) doctors are also on strike until Friday, causing major disruption for IKA insured, while pharmacists intend to shut their pharmacies once again on Friday and next Monday.
source: ana-mpa
