After their successful strike,  sailors, engineers and all other ship personnel operating on routes between Patras in Greece and Italy returned to work with their demands met and their heads held high.

The strike was opposed by local business groups, the compromising trade union leaderships and the right-wing New Democracy government, which follows in the footsteps of all previous social democratic governments of SYRIZA and PASOK.

The sailors’ struggle, together with that of all the other specialized workers, especially the ship engineers, was based first and foremost on their own will, determination and vigilance, which played a leading and decisive role. The strikers did not give in to the orgy of repression they faced, including the arrest of 19 of their colleagues. On the contrary, they remained determined and received support from the Patras Labour Centre, whose administration consists of an absolute majority of trade unionists who are rallied in the All Workers’ Militant Front (PAME),  supported by the Communist Party of Greece (KKE).

From the outset, the KKE stood by the seafarers and supported their just demands for wage increases, safe manning levels and immediate health and safety measures, regardless of their nationality (Greeks, Italians, etc.). The General Secretary of the Central Committee, Dimitris Koutsoumbas, was also present in their mobilizations to show his support.

The success of the strike confirms the need for seafarers throughout the Adriatic to organise more strongly in order to defend their interests.

01.07.2025