Greek unions stage walk out against strike action reform

Workers in Greece have staged their first walkout since a new conservative government took office in July. Ships stayed in port and public buses and trains ran on reduced services on Tuesday, Reuters reported.

The action was triggered by government moves to change some rules on calling a strike, and to allow non-implementation of collective working agreements under certain conditions, as well as the creation of a registry of labor unions which they have said is an attempt to control them.

Unions representing workers in fields as diverse as banking to nursery schools urged members to go on strike. Industrial action in Greece rarely secures full participation of workers.

The new government of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis came to power on pledges to speed up investments and spur growth.