Dockers strike cuts Greek imports 11 pct-merchants

Strikes by dockworkers have led to cargo pile-ups at ports and slashed container imports to Greece by 11 percent, a merchant association said on Wednesday.

Dockers at Piraeus (OLP) and Thessaloniki ports (OLTH) have been refusing to work overtime and have staged rolling 24-hour strikes since January to protest at government plans to privatise cargo operations. "Imports have already dropped 11 percent with exports down by more than 8 percent so far this year," said Vassilis Korkidis, head of the merchant association at Greece's largest port, Piraeus, which handles three-quarters of the country's container traffic. OLP, which reported a first quarter loss of 5 million euros ($7.89 million) due to the strikes, has said full-year results will be in the red if labour action persists. Last month, OLP picked China's Cosco, the world's fifth largest port operator, to run two of its container piers for up to 35 years. Greek dockers have said they will continue with labour action in July and could even refuse to work overtime until the end of the year.

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