Greek phone workers protesting against the socialist government’s plan to sell 6% of state phone company OTE began a four-day walkout that was expected to wreak havoc with services – underlining the vast investment needed to bring the system up to scratch, since truly modern networks are so reliable that they are relatively immune from strikes unless they are accompanied by sabotage: union leader Geroge Maniatis told Reuters that 80% of staff are off work; the bill is expected to pass easily in parliament, with a vote expected on Thursday; privatisation of the near-monopoly fell flat in 1993 and again in 1994 under conservative and socialist governments with elections, strikes and a weak stock market helping scotch the attempts.
