Workers in Greece’s asylum service launch 2 day strike

Greek asylum service employees on short-term contracts have launched a two-day strike to protest what they say are months-long delays in their salary payments. (Photo by Dalibor Tomic/Flickr, CC BY 2.0)

ATHENS, Greece — Greek asylum service employees on short-term contracts have launched a two-day strike to protest what they say are months-long delays in their salary payments.

Their union says they have not been paid for two or three months. A statement says several employees living in rented accommodation face the threat of eviction, having fallen behind in their rent payments.

Together with the strike on Wednesday and Thursday, the union was planning a protest in central Athens on Thursday.

Greece’s asylum service faces a huge workload due to the increase of applications from refugees and migrants over the past year.

Although arrival numbers have decreased, last year’s agreement between the European Union and Turkey to limit illegal immigration has led most refugees and migrants coming from Turkey to seek asylum in Greece.