Strike extended, Greek ferries stuck in port until Friday

Greek seamen are extending their strike for a further 24 hours, leaving the country's mainland and islands without ferry services until Friday morning.

Ferries have remained tied up in port since 6 a.m. Wednesday for what was to have been a one-day strike. But the union, the Panhellenic Seamen's Federation, announced in the afternoon it would extend the strike for a further 24 hours.

The union called the strike to protest pension cuts, poor working conditions and changes that would open domestic sea transport to non-European Union flagged ships. It called for new collective labor contracts with pay rises, and for the prompt payment of salaries already owed to seamen.

The union said it was adding an extra day to the strike - "with a prospect of escalation" beyond that - because the Greek government had offered no solution to their sector's problems and met...