By F. Zois
Unions representing rail workers in Greece on Monday opted to end industrial actions, almost four months into a spiral of strikes and work stoppages against privatization in the sector and to pressure the government into signing a collective bargaining agreement before the rail operator is formally sold off.
The development came after talks between union representatives and officials with the privatization fund (TAIPED or HRADF).
Nevertheless, the damage from the strike actions was evident this week, with Chinese shipping multinational and soon-to-be Piraeus port concessionaire Cosco already set to sign an agreement with the rail operator in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (fYRoM). Other international freight carriers are also eyeing alternatives routes instead of using strike-prone Trainose, the Greek rail operator. Overland transport using trucks to reach the Greek border with fYRoM or sailing freighters directly to the Adriatic port of Coper, in Slovenia, are the foremost alternatives.
Local analysts told “N” that shipping companies believe the situation will not normalize in the domestic rail sector this year.
A successful, albeit single, binding bid for Trainose by Italy’s national operator last week exacerbated the situation in the sector, which includes the regional Proastiako (urban rail) network that extends from the greater Athens area, and even the fixed line leading to the Athens International Airport.
A new meeting between union representatives and privatization fund officials will come on Thursday, with rail workers to hold a general assembly on Friday to decide what their next steps will be.
Beyond the standing opposition by Greek unions to any privatization of currently state-owned and managed enterprises and utilities, the other primary demand by rail workers is for the signing of a new collective bargaining agreement.
However, such a development is unlikely amid the current privatization process, with the one and only candidate for the tender, FS, expressing opposition to any agreement determining wages at Trainose before it takes over, assuming that the process is successful.
FS has submitted a bid of 45 million euros for Trainose, a figure that was accepted by the privatization fund’s board of directors.
The privatization fund expects the Italian side to assume Trainose, which still comprises the only rail operator in Greece, by the end of the year, pending approval by regulatory authorities in Greece and the EU.
