Protest at Labor Ministry over fatal accident

Workers in the arts and culture sector protested at the Ministry of Labor on Wednesday, August 6, following a workplace accident that killed a 51-year-old sound engineer. A delegation from the unions met with Deputy Minister of Labor Kostas Karagounis, raising issues concerning the sector.

The Panhellenic Federation of Spectacle and Audio (ΠΟΘΑ) recalled that sound engineer Giannis Artopoulos died in a car accident returning from a tour. A 21-year-old technician was also seriously injured. ΠΟΘΑ emphasizes the extreme fatigue conditions in which technicians work.

Members of the Union of Technicians Employed in Live Audiovisual Events (ΣΤΑΖΟΕ) protested outside the Ministry of Labor, emphasizing that "We are the workers of art and culture." One of the central slogans was "Culture is saved when people are saved."

Representatives of POTA, STAZOE and GSEEE denounced exhausting hours and insufficient rest. They also referred to the practice of converting wage services into "service provision with a block of shares", which makes it difficult to control and record working hours.

The Deputy Minister of Labor pledged to intensify controls in theaters and auditoriums.