Private sector umbrella union plans walkout on May 8

The General Confederation of Greek Labor (GSEE) has called for a 24-hour nationwide strike on Sunday, May 8 to coincide with the opening of shops.

The union said it "was completely opposed" to the bailout-inspired introduction of Sunday shopping hours (eight Sundays a year) "since it will lead to the end of the Sunday rest day and because the measure works in the interest of multi-nationals, leading smaller businesses to closure."

The strike will be staged as part of wider activities the union plans to stage on the occasion of the Labor Day public holiday, which was transferred to Tuesday, May 3 instead of May 1 because it coincided with Easter Sunday.

GSEE said the strike is not connected to the 48-hour  work stoppage it plans to call for when the government submits it pension reform bill to parliament.