Shipyard workers in the town of Perama, some 16 kilometres (10 miles) from Athens, paused work on Friday (July 25) as a sweltering heatwave battered the country for another day.
The workers in the ship repair zone of the Piraeus Port Authority carry out building and repairs on vessels, under the heat and flame of welding tools beneath the burning sun.
There is no job more difficult under such weather conditions, said electrician Danil Polatsidis, who says the heat causes him physical fatigue, and health problems for other employees, as well as affecting the actual machinery they use.
Union President Akis Antoniou said conditions get worse every year as the weather temperatures have been increasing, and as the machinery and materials used for repairs already raise the initial temperatures.
Greece has been hit with temperatures as high as 43 degrees Celsius (109.4 F) this week, prompting authorities to impose measures on outdoor work. Workers engaged in outdoor activities were told to pause from midday to 5 p.m., including couriers, food delivery drivers, street cleaners, and builders. Remote work was also advised, especially for workers with health issues.
At the shipyard, workers also paused for those five hours. Head of the repair zone Vasilis Kannakakis said measures have to be taken, and workers will have to start adjusting with working in high temperatures from now on as the weather becomes more intense.
The Athens Acropolis was also temporarily closed for the same hours as part of government measures to tackle the heat on Friday.
Meteorologists said the week-long heatwave, the third and longest so far since the onset of summer, would continue until Sunday.
The country’s heatwaves have become more intense and longer in the last years, say scientists, blaming the shift on climate change.
2024 was the warmest year on record globally, with temperatures exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial era for the first time.
(Reuters)
