Greece’s railway workers and related unions have declared a three hour work stoppage on Friday, December 20 to call attention their unmet demands regarding train and workplace safety, including staff shortages.
The Athens- Thessaloniki- Athens route will continue uninterrupted, but other routes will be impacted.
The Reason for the Work Stoppage
In the unions’ announcement, they stated:
“Our demands for the safe transportation of passengers and workplace safety, as well as the repair and maintenance of facilities, locker rooms, and sanitation areas, along with addressing the severe staff shortages we raised nearly four years ago, have not only remained unmet but are being completely neglected, creating deplorable working conditions.”
Hellenic Train: Services with emergency staff
According to an announcement by Hellenic Train, the company, with the support of employee unions, will operate services with emergency staff during the work stoppage.
Specifically, the canceled services are as follows:
- Piraeus – Kiato: 1314 (departure 12:14)
- Kiato – Piraeus: 1319 (departure 13:59)
- Piraeus – Airport: 1218 (departure 12:44)
- Airport – Piraeus: 1219 (departure 14:07)
- Patras/Rio: 12305
- Rio – Patras: 12306
- Patras – Kato Achaia: 11358
- Kato Achaia – Patras: 11359
- Bus Kiato – Patras: C12E
- Bus Patras – Kiato: C11E
- Larissa – Thessaloniki: 1596
- Thessaloniki – Larissa: 1597
The Context
Greece’s train system and lack of appropriate safety measures are frequently in the media and have been criticized by the European Commission, most recently in the latest EU Infringements package. Insufficient safety measures and poor infrastructure have also been brought to the forefront of citizens’ attention since the deadly Tempi train crash in 2023.
