Workers across Greece’s F&B industry will stage a 24-hour nationwide strike on Tuesday, February 3 following a deadly fire and explosion at the Violanta factory in Trikala that killed five employees on Monday.
The action was announced by the Panhellenic Federation of Dairy, Food and Beverage Workers and Employees, which described the incident as “a tragedy of historic proportions that is still unfolding and remains unaddressed”.
In a statement, the federation expressed “sincere condolences to the families and colleagues of the victims” and wished a speedy recovery to those injured.
“The lack of essential health and safety measures, the dismantling of inspection mechanisms, and the absence of effective state oversight are the causes of the crime at the Violanta factory,” the federation said.
Union leaders voiced anger and outrage over what they described as yet another preventable workplace disaster.
“The industry and the country’s working class daily mourn murdered and maimed colleagues in workplaces sacrificed for industrial profits,” the statement added.
The federation is demanding a full investigation into the fire and explosion, accountability for those responsible, and an end to what it called systematic cover-ups of industrial accidents.
All unions and workers in the sector have been urged to mobilize for Tuesday’s strike.
Andreas Stoimenidis, president of the Federation of Associations of Employees at Technical Enterprises of Greece and a representative of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA), said the tragedy marks a grim milestone.
“This is the deadliest industrial accident in recent years. What makes it especially shocking is that all the victims were women working the night shift. Statistically, 93% of workplace fatalities involve men; this disaster breaks that pattern,” Stoimenidis said.
“It is a tragedy of historic proportions and still not being properly addressed.”
He also questioned how many similar disasters Greece must endure before systemic safety reforms are enforced.
The Trikala blast comes amid mounting concern over workplace safety in Greece. Authorities recorded 201 work-related deaths in 2025 alone, along with more than 14,000 occupational accidents each year.
