Employees in Greece’s tax and property services are taking part in a 24-hour nationwide strike, with a protest gathering scheduled for 12 noon outside the Ministry of Finance, in Athens.

In a statement, the Greek Federation of Employees in Public Financial Services said tax office workers are striking because, like the overwhelming majority of salaried employees in both the public and private sectors, they are seeing their pay “evaporate before the month is over.”

The federation also points to mounting pressure inside the tax services, citing an intense workload, unattainable performance targets and the constant invocation of what it describes as “managerial prerogative.”

According to the union, the creation of centralized service structures such as the Tax Procedure and Service Centres (KEFODE), Capital Taxation Centre (KEFOK) and the Special Account for Research Funds (ELKE) in Attica and Thessaloniki has caused serious difficulties for both staff and the public. For employees, these include excessively long commutes to and from work, while citizens are also facing growing problems in accessing services.

The civil servants’ union federation ADEDY has expressed its support for the strike.