Greece-wide Strikes Scheduled for February 18, 19

Nationwide strikes are scheduled for Tuesday, February 18, and Wednesday, February 19. Specifically, Greece largest trade union representing public sector employees (ADEDY) will hold a 24-hour strike on February 18 for workers in special programs in the health sector, while on February 19, taxi drivers will stage a 24-hour strike.

ADEDY’s Strike on February 18
ADEDY has declared a 24-hour strike on February 18 in support of workers in special healthcare programs.  According to ADEDY’s announcement, the workers have the following demands:

Equal treatment and rectification of wage injustices affecting these workers for the past eight years compared to other contract employees in the healthcare sector.
Full staffing of public health institutions with permanent personnel.
The conversion of fixed-term contracts under various programs into permanent contracts.
Public health service employees have been striking regularly over the past year for various issues related to the country’s public health system. One key point of contention is the Greek Ministry of Health’s increasing outsourcing of public health services to private companies. Meanwhile, the issue cited in ADEDY’s announcement -the practice of hiring employees through fixed-term contracts that are renewed -allows the government to keep health costs low but prevents workers from attaining the rights and benefits of permanent employees. This ongoing issue has fueled widespread dissatisfaction among healthcare workers and has contributed to repeated labor actions, including the upcoming strike.

Taxi Strike on February 19
The Attica Taxi Drivers’ Union (SATA) is the primary representative body for taxi drivers in the Attica region. It advocates for taxi drivers’ rights, regulatory reforms, and fair working conditions. SATA frequently organizes strikes and protests to challenge government policies affecting the taxi industry, including competition from ride-hailing services and taxation policies.

Their most recent wave of strikes at the start of the year was in response to the Greek government’s requirement that all taxis accept payments via credit card and display a sticker informing passengers that they have the right to pay via credit card. These rules were introduced to address longstanding issues of fare manipulation, tax evasion, and poor customer service practices among taxi drivers, such as overcharging, demanding cash payments, and failing to issue receipts.

SATA outlined several key demands:

Free access for taxis to dedicated bus lanes.
A resolution to the issue of work interception by rental car companies with drivers.
An end to illegal fare discounts and promotions by ride-hailing companies such as Uber and Bolt, which SATA claims violate Greek fare regulations and foster unfair competition.
Enforcement of existing legislation prohibiting fare collection by intermediary companies (Law 4607/2019, Article 75).
Proper implementation of digital contracts for rental vehicles and the establishment of a registry for such services.
A 33% increase in the minimum fare for rental vehicle contracts.
Clear differentiation between taxi services and rental vehicles with drivers to prevent unauthorized urban transport by private companies.
The repeal of controversial tax law provisions and the immediate establishment of a tax-free income threshold of €12,000 for taxi drivers.
Postponement of the requirement for taxis to transition exclusively to zero-emission vehicles from 2026 to 2035.
Allowance for multi-seat taxis and five-year-old used taxis to be registered freely.
SATA called for the Panhellenic Federation’s active support and urged all taxi unions across the country to participate in the February 19 strike.

GSEE Strike – Date to Be Announced
The General Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE) has announced that it will participate in a strike and mobilize workers nationwide to show its support for the victims of the Tempi train tragedy- but the date and time has not yet been announced.

That being said, GSEE has urged public transportation workers to continue working, even if they strike, to facilitate citizens’ access to protest sites on the day of the strike.