Hundreds of seasonal firefighters gathered outside Greece’s Civil Protection Ministry, demanding permanent jobs, as their contracts expire after a wildfire season, AP News reported.
Protesters used whistles and aerosol horns while carrying Greek flags during the demonstration. They represented about 2,500 firefighters whose short-term contracts ended on Thursday. They were left unemployed with the possibility of being rehired next May.
Union officials said climate change expanded the wildfire risk in Greece beyond the traditional summer months, requiring year-round firefighting capability. Damage from wildfires this year is estimated at 410 square kilometres (158 square miles) and includes a major blaze reaching the outskirts of Athens.
Evangelos Tsoukalas, the Seasonal Firefighters’ Association of Greece, said many members with six years or more of experience were unable to apply for positions in special firefighting units as the age limit was set at 35.
There is an age cut-off (for those positions). And now our contracts are up, so we are being thrown out as seasonal firefighters.
Although seasonal firefighters typically work from May to October, union officials argue that their experience is priceless, especially given Greece’s increasingly severe fire seasons. Meanwhile, the country is trying to adapt its firefighting capabilities to deal with longer and more intense wildfires.
