Food service enterprises across Greece will launch a protest and shut down their businesses for 24 hour on Thursday, November 11, 2021. The strike is a symbolic act of protest against the new restrictions imposed for unvaccinated citizens since last Saturday depriving the sector of 30% to 50% of their customers, led to revenue losses and without offset measures.
Acceding to a statement by the food service federation POESE, they demand no repayment to the sate of the loans “Deposit To Be Returned”, resumption of rental exemptions and furloughs, exemption from council tax payments, a reduction of the value-added tax rate on food service to 6%, and the extension of subsidies for loan tranches and new credit issued similar to that of late 2020 and early 2021.
However, the food service is not the only sector hit by the restrictions aiming to a unique lockdown for unvaccinated citizens that require multiple Rapid or PCR tests per week and at their own expenses..
Retailers saw also a rapid decrease of revenues and reportedly demand the ban of industrial commodities (apparel, homeware, electrical appliances etc) at supermarkets, so as to avoid unfair competition, as there entrance is open to everyone, vaccinated or not and without Rapid tests.
The decision for the 24-hour strike by POESE was taken after a fruitless meeting between the federation and the prime minister on Monday morning.
The first mobilization in the food service sector took place in Patra, western Peloponnese, with almost all companies remaining closed throughout Monday with POESE’s support.
A protest rally is scheduled at 11 a.m. in downtown Athens on Thursday.