Nationwide strikes in Greece bring flights, ferries to a standstill
Nationwide strikes brought Greece to a standstill on Wednesday as major trade union federations from the private sector and public service demand substantial wage increases.
The strikers are pushing for more pay as Greece is among the EU's laggards in terms of real wages and purchasing power.
The strikes have severely impacted tourists, with ferries remaining moored in ports and both domestic and international flights cancelled due to air-traffic controllers joining the walkouts.
The timing is particularly frustrating for travellers, occurring one and a half weeks before the Easter holiday, which marks the start of the tourism season. Unusually, the date of Greek Orthodox Easter coincides with the Western Christian one this year.
Many tourists have had to rebook flights, were stranded on islands or at airports, or could not travel as planned.
The air-traffic controllers' strike, initially set to be banned by the courts due to the start of the holiday season, was declared legal by a judge late on Tuesday evening.
Airports and airlines had already cancelled all flights in anticipation.
Greece's economy is now performing well after years of financial crisis. The International Monetary Fund recently praised the country's progress, noting that its economic growth — currently over 2% — significantly outpaces the EU average.
However, the IMF also cautioned that sharp wage increases could fuel inflation. This leaves the government in a difficult position: although the economy is improving, many citizens have yet to feel the benefits.
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