Greek Govt. Orders Truck Drivers to End Strike

VOA News
July 28, 2010 at 7:33 pm

The Greek government has ordered an end to a strike by truck drivers that has caused fuel and food shortages in parts of the country.

An emergency order was issued Wednesday, the third day of the strike. The move requires truck drivers to return to work or face penalties and arrest. It is not clear if striking union members will comply with the order.

The truck drivers began the stoppage to protest a Greek government plan to open the trucking industry to competition. The plan is part of an austerity program agreed to by Greece in order to obtain emergency loans from EU nations and the International Monetary Fund.

A team of EU and IMF officials was visiting Athens Wednesday to inspect the government’s progress in implementing the austerity plan. That inspection is meant to determine if Greece has done enough to secure another installment of the $142 billion bailout fund.

Greece has seen a series of nationwide strikes in recent weeks organized by labor unions angered about austerity measures that have cut pensions, civil service salaries and other benefits.

Polls show many Greeks see the reforms as necessary to lift Greece out of a debt crisis and a recession.

Some information in this story was provided by AP and Reuters.