HUNDREDS OF DOCKYARD WORKERS ON TUESDAY DESTROYED THE OFFICES OF THE PIRAEUS PORT AUTHORITY AND MARCHED THROUGH CENTRAL ATHENS TO PROTEST UNSAFE WORKING CONDITIONS AFTER TWO WORKERS DIED IN AN EXPLOSION AT THE CITY'S DOCKS A DAY EARLIER, ACCORDING TO DPA. PERAMA DOCKYARD WORKERS SMASHED WINDOWS AND THREW CHAIRS AT THE OFFICES OF THE PORT AUTHORITY AFTER CALLING A 24-HOUR WORK STOPPAGE. EARLIER, MANY HAD JOINED A MARCH TO THE MERCHANT MARINE MINISTRY IN PIRAEUS AND HELD A RALLY AT THE NEARBY TERMINAL OF THE ATHENS- PIRAEUS ELECTRIC RAILWAY STATION. PROTESTERS INSIST THE EXPLOSION, WHICH TOOK THE LIVES OF TWO WORKERS AS THEY WERE CONDUCTING WELDING WORK TO THE HULL OF A SHIP IN PERAMA, WAS A RESULT OF POOR SAFETY CONDITIONS. THE CAPTAIN OF THE DAMAGED SHIP AILSA CRAIG ALONG WITH THE SAFETY TECHNICIAN APPEARED BEFORE A PIRAEUS PROSECUTOR ON TUESDAY. THEY WERE CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGHTER.
