Members of the seamen’s union are reportedly seeking a five per cent increase for ferry crews, a request which they claim is long overdue, as pay has remained static for eight years.
Thousands of holidaymakers have been stranded on Greece’s islands due to a 24-hour ferry crew strike.
Members of the seamen’s union are reportedly seeking a five per cent increase for ferry crews, a request which they claim is long overdue, as pay has remained static for eight years.
The strike is predicted to affect around 180,000 people who have booked travel to and from some of Greece’s most popular tourist destinations, including Mykonos, Santorini and Crete.
The main crew union said that ferries would remain confined to port until 6 am Wednesday and may extend its protest if its demands for pay raises and tax breaks were not met.
Greece has around 6,000 islands, 227 of which are inhabited. Many of the smaller and more remote islands have no air connections with the rest of the country, and a protracted ferry strike would lead to shortages of goods.