Pasok promised to renegotiate the deal with Cosco for the cargo terminal’s privatization in case they had won the elections.

Despite Cosco’s and OLP’s (Piraeus Port Authority) promise that they will maintain all job positions, dockworkers’ unions are still staging strikes and preventing Cosco from assuming management of container Piers II and III, Hellenic Shipping News reports. On Thursday, October 8, workers announced that they will continue their “struggle” and stage another 24-hour strike (on Friday), and also refusing to work during the weekend.

To some, this behaviour seems just a ploy to keep the Hellenic economy as “hostage”. Actually, as a result of constant work stoppages during the past three years, Piraeus Port’s credibility with international shipping companies is compromised. Exporters and shipping agents are facing financial problems, being forced to deal with orders cancellation since the port has remained closed for more than a week. All this even comes in a very problematical period for the shipping industry worldwide, with economic downturn severely affecting this sector too.

All shipping organizations, which had previously supported the workers’ demands, as well as the Athens Chamber of Commerce now are asking for immediate solutions to be agreed.

Today the Council of State holds a meeting to discuss the petitions presented by dockworkers against the privatization of the port of Piraeus, arguing that the agreement signed is against the Constitution. They argue that Cosco would take advantage from tax benefits during the 35-year concession, issue that will be review by the European Union soon. But it seems that the real reason is that dockworkers are going to lose their “special privileges” within the port. The Council of State will likely judge workers’ petitions as unjustified, because they have no legal right to do that and the agreement doesn’t threatens their working conditions.

It seems that the Chinese group will agree to partly renegotiate the deal, in order to keep the agreement live and going. Anyhow, the OLP and Cosco will need a huge effort to restore the port of Piraeus’ position among the most important hubs of the Mediterranean.