Seafarers' Strike on October 1st Over Working Hours

The Panhellenic Seamen’s Federation (PNO) has announced a 24-hour nationwide strike for seafarers on October 1, 2025. The strike will affect all categories of ships, starting at 00:01 and ending at 24:00 on the same day.

The decision was unanimously adopted by the Federation's Board in response to the Ministry of Labor's bill, which provides for an increase in daily working hours up to 13 hours.

The PNO emphasizes that the proposed regulation effectively abolishes the principle of “8 hours work – 8 hours rest – 8 hours free time,” which is considered a fundamental rule for workers. It also points out that long working hours seriously burden the physical and mental health of seafarers, create safety risks, and hinder personal life.

The PNO recalls that the implementation regulation of the 2006 Maritime Labor Convention (MLC) already allows shipowners to employ crew for up to 14 hours a day in certain cases. The General Secretary of the PNO, Capt. Emmanouil Tsikalakis, participated in international discussions to reduce seafarers' working hours.

The PNO cites Eurostat data, according to which Greek workers had the highest number of working hours in the EU in 2024. With the strike, seafarers are demanding humane working conditions and protection of health and safety on ships.