Companies

Different labor realities

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-07-13 11:35

While some in Greece enthusiastically embrace of foreign investment, COSCO faces problems in Piraeus that highlight the realities of working in Greece.

A strike by Greek dockworkers over redundancy payments delayed COSCO's takeover of the Piraeus container terminal from the State port operator OLP for several weeks.

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COSCO's Chief Executive Wei Jiafu also said that local dockworkers would be employed in the expansion of container facilities at the main Greek port of Piraeus to counter local union fears of a big influx of foreign labor.

"We have promised the Greek president that we will not bring any Chinese dockworkers. We will hire local dockworkers," Wei told a news conference in Greece.

"Until now we have hired 300 local dockworkers, and we believe we will hire more in the future," he said.

After his meeting with Greece President Carolos Papoulias, Wei said the Greek head of State had personally guaranteed that the port project would not be impeded.

"The Greek president has promised that COSCO's project in Greece will not meet any obstacle, and that he will personally monitor closely and attach great attention," Wei said.