ATHENS, July 26 (AFP) - A hotel staff trade union in the Athens area on Monday called its members out on strike on August 4 to demand higher wages, warning it planned to push on with its action during Greece's Olympic Games, its president said.
The Hotel Employees Association for Greater Athens (SYXEAP) has already organised two 24-hour strikes on June 17 and July 7, as well as a series of stoppages at the end of May to call for substantial wage hikes.
Hotel owners say these strikes were not widely observed and that hotels managed to continue running without any difficulties.
"We are demanding the signing of collective bargaining conventions guaranteeing a minimum basic salary of 1,100 euros a month compared to the net salary of 487 euros that we currently get," SYXEAP President Christos Katsokis said.
The Association is also pressing for more stable conditions for its workers who are often taken on on a seasonal basis and do not have social benefits.
The sprawling Greek capital plays host to thousands of international athletes participating in the Olympics from August 13 until 29.
The SYXEAP has refused to accept a deal, reached through arbitration, for a six-percent wage increase, even though the deal has been approved by the nationwide confederation of hotel employees.