The Associated Press reports that police, firefighters and coast guard officers warn they could strike before the Athens 2004 Summer Olympic Games over a long-standing demand to receive hazard pay.
As part of a $600 million security plan, more than 40,000 police officers are to be deployed during the 2004 Games.
Dimitris Kyriazidis told The Associated Press, “it will be difficult to perform our duties of the government does not even address our basic problems. We will exhaust negotiations but after that we will not be responsible for whatever happens – the government will”.
Meanwhile the government has ruled out pay raises for civil servants saying, “we have reached the limits of the Greek economy”.
Kyriazidis said his union will meet Thursday with the leadership of the Greek Public Order Ministry. If their demands are not met, he said they will try to speak with Athens 2004 head Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki and the IOC leadership.
