Seven Greek ports face 24-hour seafarer strike on Friday, 30 October

Seven ports expected to lose coastal shipping on Friday

Three seafarer unions, the Panhellenic Union of Marine Engineers (PEMEN), the engine crew union Ο ΣΤΕΦΕΝΣΩΝ and the Panhellenic Union of Seamen (PENEN), have called a 24-hour strike for Friday, 30 October. According to their announcements, coastal shipping services are expected to stop at Piraeus, Rafina, Lavrio, Patras, Igoumenitsa, Elefsina and the Rio-Antirrio route. The unions expect serious disruption to scheduled sailings across the day. The stoppage forms part of wider action by port workers, which the Piraeus Labour Centre has linked to an international day of action for dockers and port employees.

What the seafarers are demanding

The core demands are a 12% increase through collective labour agreements, better working conditions and safety measures, a seven-hour working day and mandatory doctors on board. PEMEN and Ο ΣΤΕΦΕΝΣΩΝ also want dangerous sea areas recognised as war zones, along with renewal of the collective agreements. They additionally ask for a five-day week and a 35-hour week. PENEN argues that escalating conflict in critical sea areas sharply raises the risk to seafarers, and that pay rises already written into existing agreements have been absorbed by rising prices. The union's notice cites 28 attacks on ships in the Persian Gulf during the first 21 days of October and 570 confirmed attacks in the Black Sea, with 40 seafarers dead and hundreds injured. These figures come from the union's own reporting and have not been independently confirmed.

Persian Gulf, first 21 days of October28

Black Sea, period not stated570

Persian Gulf, first 21 days of October

28 attacks

Black Sea, period not stated

570 attacks

Data from the article text

Port worker stoppages and rallies

The Federation of Permanent Port Employees of Greece (OMYLE) will hold a three-hour work stoppage from 10:00 to 13:00 on Friday. Its board took the decision unanimously at a meeting on 23 October. The Piraeus Labour Centre has separately called a 24-hour strike. PENEN has announced a gathering at 09:15 at Agia Triada, opposite the NAT, while a rally is set for 10:00 at the Municipal Theatre square in Piraeus. Further gatherings are planned that day in Igoumenitsa at 11:30, and in the evening in Patras, Elefsina, Lavrio, Thessaloniki, Heraklion, Corfu and Chania, according to SKAI's listing. Figures for the wider international action differ between SKAI reports, which give 113 ports in 21 countries across five continents in one and more than 100 ports in dozens of countries across four continents in another.

What comes next

Reports say the mobilisations will continue on 25 November with new nationwide actions. Rallies are also expected alongside those actions. The strike on Friday is therefore one step in a sequence rather than a single-day event, according to the coverage reviewed.