Greek unions rail against business rules overhaul

A woman walks past a pile of garbage in Piraeus, near Athens, on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019 . Municipal workers have launched a series of strikes this week that are causing garbage to pile up on the streets. Local government unions have announced stoppages and strikes to protest government plans to expand private sector involvement in municipal services. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

ATHENS, Greece — More than 2,000 striking municipal workers have marched to Greece’s parliament to protest a planned overhaul of business and licensing rules by the new conservative government.

Protesters briefly scuffled with police Thursday after challenging a cordon outside the parliament building, but no arrests were reported.

The three-month-old government of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis says the reforms will simplify regulations and boost investment as Greece emerges from a protracted financial crisis.

But unions argue that longstanding workers’ rights will be eroded, including the right to negotiate pay through collective bargaining with employers.

The municipal strike disrupted garbage collection and other services in Athens and elsewhere. Two more protest marches are planned Thursday ahead of a vote in parliament on the draft legislation, which is expected to pass.

The Associated Press