In a statement the union said the injury followed a string of structural problems, falling plaster and flooded classrooms, and accused successive administrations and the municipal authority of allowing maintenance to lapse to a ‘red’ level. The union said the lack of on-site maintenance staff, including plumbers, electricians and builders, leaves schools exposed to daily hazards for pupils, teachers and support staff.
The injured employee, the union noted, is a mother of five. The union said this personal circumstance underlines the stakes involved and demanded immediate measures to protect cleaning and school personnel.
The union set out a short list of demands: comprehensive inspections of all Piraeus schools and prompt repairs; provision of adequate personal protective equipment for cleaning staff; increased public funding for school maintenance rather than reliance on short-term contractors and programmes; and an urgent meeting with the mayor to discuss cleaners’ working conditions.
‘After the falling plaster and the flooded classrooms, came the work accidents,’ the union said, adding that it will not allow workers’ health and safety to be jeopardised.
Municipal authorities have not yet published a response. The union said it will press for swift action to ensure schools are safe and fully functioning before pupils and staff return to normal timetables.
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