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Greek court declares planned strike illegal

The Greek Union of Air Traffic Controllers declared a strike, protesting against the cancellation of payments for overtime work

ATHENS, September 23 (Itar-Tass) — The Greek court declared on Friday the 24-hours-long strike of air traffic controllers, planned for September 25, to be illegal. As a result of the strike, which could result in the closing down of the Greek air space for 24 hours, hundreds of air flights might be delayed or postponed. Now the air traffic is to go on in the normal regime.

The Greek Union of Air Traffic Controllers declared a strike, protesting against the cancellation of payments for overtime work and insisting on the fulfilment of other economic demands. The Civil Aviation Agency appealed to court to declare the planned strike to be illegal. The court agreed with it and passed the corresponding ruling.

The question on the four-hours-long strike of air traffic controllers, scheduled for September 28 (from 12.00 to 16.00, local time), remains open.

The biggest trade unions in the state and private sectors announced that they would hold 24-hours-long strikes on October 5 and 19 in protest against rigid economy measures, which are put into effect by the government. Greek air traffic controllers usually take part in such protest actions. “We shall fight until we achieve the cancellation of this policy,” said Ilias Iliopoulos, secretary-general of the Supreme Administration of Greek Civil Servants (ADEDY).

Two biggest trade union associations of the state and private sectors, with a total membership of 2.5 million, have already staged several strikes in protest against belt-tightening measures, which the government has to implement for getting credits within the framework of the crediting programme of EU and IMF worth 110 billion euros, so that Greece could avoid default.

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