The Panhellenic Seamen’s Federation (PNO) in its official statement released on Tuesday condemns the shipping ministry amendment attached to a draft bill on open-air street markets and urges the leaders of the political parties and MPs to vote against the measure

The seamen’s union accused Shipping and Aegean Minister Miltiades Varvitsiotis of bowing to the dictates of the EU-IMF troika and attempting to abolish the established right of seamen to negotiate and sign collective labour agreements for naval work, seeking to divide and undermine the sea-workers’ trade union movement.

PNO urged the shipping ministry to immediately withdraw the measures and warned that they will face a “dynamic response” from Greek seamen.