Strike threatens to derail Greek election

8 Jun 2012, 8:10 pm   -   Source: AAP
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(Getty Images)

(Getty Images)

Greek government workers have announced a strike that is threatening to derail the crucial upcoming election.

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A strike by Greek municipal employees is threatening to derail the crucial June 17 national election, which could determine whether the debt-crippled country continues to use the euro.

The POE-OTA union, which represents thousands of people who work for cities, villages and other municipalities, says its members are paid far less for doing elections-related work than other government employees.

Municipal workers are a key part of the voting process, from setting up voting centres with ballot boxes, booths and ballots to handling last-minute documentation for voters.

Greece is surviving on international rescue loans, granted on condition it imposes measures to curtail government overspending and pursue economic reforms. But an electorate angry at repeated income cuts and tax hikes boosted anti-austerity parties in an inconclusive election on May 6.

Opinion polls show a radical left-wing party vowing to tear up the austerity commitments - even at risk of creditors freezing the vital bailout payments - is running neck-and-neck with the pro-bailout conservatives.

POE-OTA head Themis Balassopoulos said on Thursday the union will hold a two-day strike on June 16-17. He also said municipal employees will refuse to do election-related work until then.

Balassopoulos said he sees little prospect of a resolution, and predicted there could be "chaos".

"The elections are up in the air," he said. "We carry the ballot boxes, set up and clean the voting centres, we transport the used ballots... Anything you can imagine in connection with the elections, we do it."

If the dispute is not resolved, the government could seek a court ruling to declare the strike illegal, or issue a civil mobilisation order.

A government official said late on Thursday the caretaker administration will take "all necessary action" to ensure the elections are not disrupted.

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