Greek Unions Threaten Further Strikes

The Associated Press is reporting that Greek unions have threatened further strikes next week, a day after parliament approved new harsh cutbacks to secure international loans despite protests and riots that left one man dead and nearly 200 injured.

According to reports, the new austerity measures include further pension and state salary cuts, civil service staff cuts, a reduction in the tax-free threshold and a watering-down of workers' collective bargaining rights. Their approval was expected to pave the way for a vital $11 billion payout from international creditors within weeks so Greece can stay solvent.

"Ferries were confined to port for a fifth straight day Friday in a strike that is already causing shortages in the country's islands. Municipal employees, state nurses and prison guards also walked off the job and mounds of rotting rubbish — uncollected for nearly three weeks — piled up in Athens."

Yesterday, Chris Petsilas, director of the Greek National Tourism Organization in New York, told Travel Agent that he expected the strikes to end by Monday. Stay tuned to TravelAgentCentral.com to see what develops.