Fear of Cosco reforms spark crippling Piraeus container strike

STRIKING dockers brought the major Greek Port of Piraeus to a standstill recently after they walked off the job protesting the take-over of container terminals by China's Cosco Pacific.

Strikers want the newly elected socialist government to scrap a US$6.3 billion contract with Cosco to operate two container terminals for 30 years.

The union fears that two thirds of their jobs will go, and demands that the Greek government insist on employment guarantees from Cosco.

Strikers also object to privatisation of container facilities. The dispute has reportedly led to an accumulation 12,000 containers and 24,000 tons of general cargo left stranded on the docks with ships bypassing the port.

Source: www.schednet.com