The news out of Greece continues to suggest that every attempt to reform the economy and liberalize key sectors is being met with serious resistance.
The latest is truck drivers.
Kathemirini:
Truck drivers protesting plans to liberalize their sector kept their vehicles parked along key sections of the national road network yesterday, causing serious traffic disruption, in opposition to the scheduled submission in Parliament today of the controversial draft bill that would open up their profession to competition.
Hundreds of trucks remained parked in long lines on the outskirts of Athens, Thessaloniki and other major cities for the eighth day in a row. The longest blockades were at the Haidari and Elefsina junctions and the Corinth tollgates. Riot police officers remained on standby, on orders from the government to stop truckers from heading into the city center.
Source, businessinsider.com/riot-pol … z10Ftj1eVd
Hi Harry,
one of my drivers sent a message this afternoon, he got upto Korinthos and was stopped and parked up,
big blockade and trouble and many truck drivers out on strike.
rgs
jjsl
been going on for 7 days now
Apparently the reason for the strike is that trucking in Greece has been a very closed industry, with no new operators’ licences having been issued for over 40 years. The only way to obtain a licence has been to buy one from somebody who is retiring and as a result these licences trade for hundreds of thousands of euros each. The Greek government intends to scrap this system and issue licences to anybody who wants one for just an administrative charge, which will make current licences worthless overnight.
handyshippingguide.com/shipp … -vote_2118
GREECE — Anarchy reigned outside the Athens Parliament building yesterday when striking truck drivers, watching the vote on a big screen set up outside, threw stones and clashed with tear gas firing Police as the government voted on the principle of abandoning haulage licences, with no mention of compensation to those who had paid previously for the right to work.
The Government have accused the strikers of operating a closed shop, seemingly forgetful of the fact that it was they who reaped the licensing income. As we have detailed previously many of the drivers have invested heavily, seemingly with no prospect of recouping their money as the freight transport sector opens up to all comers. Yesterday MP’s faced a barrage of abuse from drivers shouting ‘Thieves’ at them.
On the scene drivers swore to continue to blockade vital road junctions around the capital and not deliver goods, with a union boss saying the drivers had nothing else to lose. The truckers will undoubtedly join in the European wide protests scheduled for 29th September, demonstrations expected to be well supported in France and Spain where transport unions are due to join public sector workers in a General Strike, as well as Greece. In Athens itself ADEDY, the public sector union are holding their own strike on 29th September with a 24 hour stoppage to protest against cuts in pay and pensions.
The vote to liberalise haulage went through comfortably 83 to 16 with one abstention, MP’s no doubt realising the European Authorities currently funding the country’s huge debt would insist on major changes. The vote on the specific plight of the licensed truckers was much tighter at 53 to 46, four more votes would have changed the result and possibly had far reaching consequences.
I can understand the Greek truckers’ grievance but not the strikes elsewhere. They seem to be demanding that we carry on living beyond our means, when it is precisely that which has brought about the recession. The money has run out, simples.