Sub-contracted DEPA workers strike as interim board takes over

One day after a temporary leadership change at gas utility DEPA, a workers’ union representing sub-contracted workers employed by the company has announced a 12-hour strike, from this evening until tomorrow morning, citing lack of progress in a series of demands made.

The union has reiterated demands for pay rises, bonuses, staff addition and payroll inclusion for sub-contracted workers.

The union wants a 15 percent pay rise for workers whose monthly net earnings are currently up to 1,300 euros, as well as a 10 percent pay rise for workers earning net amounts of between 1,301 and 1,600 euros. Other demands include a 10 percent marriage bonus and 5 percent bonuses for every child in the family.

Quite clearly, these demands cannot be met in the 17 days remaining before Greece’s snap elections on July 7. However, they do send a signal, especially to the next government to emerge from the elections, not the new DEPA board, an interim line-up picked to serve until a new gas utility administration is appointed following the elections.

Energy minister Giorgos Stathakis recently called for the immediate replacement of the administration at DEPA, once the snap elections were announced.

DEPA chief executive Dimitris Tzortzis was replaced by Velissarios Dotsis as an interim boss.