Thousands of Greek workers strike

Thousands of striking Greek workers, students and pensioners protested Wednesday against wages not enough to cope with the rising cost of living in downtown.

Ships remained at Greek ports and train services were suspended as transport workers joined a nationwide strike by GSEE, Greece's largest private-sector union. Urban traffic was also affected as bus and taxi drivers stopped operating for hours.

The minimum monthly wage rose 6.4 percent this month to 830 euros, the fourth increase in five years. But many workers say the wage increase is not enough to keep up with high food prices, and surging rents and wages in Greece still lag behind their European colleagues.

The average monthly wage for Greeks is 1,175 euros,20 percent lower than 15 years ago, while unemployment is still above 10 percent, the second highest in the European Union after Spain. Youth unemployment is above 20 percent.

The Conservative government led by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has pledged to raise the monthly minimum wage to 950 euros by the end of his term in 2027, and the average wage for the same period has risen by more than 25 percent to 1,500 euros. But GSEE said it wants an immediate increase to 908 euros and hopes to resume collective bargaining, which was abolished during the crisis. 

数千名希腊工人罢工

       周三，数千名希腊罢工工人、学生和养老金领取者在雅典市中心游行，抗议工资不足以应对不断上涨的生活成本。

       由于运输工人加入了希腊最大的私营部门工会GSEE的全国罢工，船只仍然停靠在希腊港口，火车服务暂停。由于公共汽车和出租车司机停止运营几个小时，城市交通也受到了影响。

       本月最低月工资总额上调6.4%，至830欧元，这是五年来的第四次上调。但许多工人表示，工资涨幅不足以跟上高企的食品价格，希腊飙升的房租和工资仍落后于他们的欧洲同事。

       希腊人的平均月薪为1175欧元，比15年前低了20%，而失业率仍高于10%，在欧盟排名第二，仅次于西班牙。青年失业率超过20%。

       总理Kyriakos Mitsotakis领导的保守党政府已经承诺，到2027年任期结束时，将每月最低工资提高到950欧元，同期平均工资提高25%以上，达到1500欧元。但GSEE表示，希望立即提高到908欧元，并希望恢复在危机期间被废除的集体谈判。