Greeks strike to mark train crash anniversary, protest low wages

On Wednesday, in observance of the anniversary of the nation’s deadliest train accident, workers will strike, halting rail operations and leaving ships parked at ports close to Athens.

On February 28, 2023, a freight train and a passenger train traveling from Athens to Thessaloniki in the north crashed head-on, killing 57 people and sparking widespread demonstrations over what many believed to be decades of mismanagement in the rail industry.

ADEDY, the largest public sector union in Greece, which represents over 500,000 workers, is organizing a 24-hour walkout that will be joined by protestors ranging from train workers and public servants to seafarers and school teachers.

“One year on, we are back on the streets to shout out loud that we won’t forget,” ADEDY said in a statement.

“We’ll keep fighting so that those responsible are held accountable.”

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A Greek judge is looking at the arrest of a station master who was made several hours after the tragedy. June is when the trial is expected to start, according to the administration.

However, a large number of survivors and victims’ families argue that politicians, who are immune from prosecution under Greek law, ought to share accountability for flaws in the safety system.

Employees are also complaining about what they perceive to be inadequate wage increases, the first coming after fourteen years in the public service. They claim that the increases were insufficient to counteract the effects of growing living expenses. Instead, workers want additional hiring and a 10% pay increase for all.

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Greece has been recuperating from a debt crisis that lasted for ten years and three international bailouts, which it received in exchange for salary reductions and the removal of holiday bonuses.

(With agency inputs)