ATHENS – After getting concessions, the PNO union of Greek seamen on Sept. 4 ended a strike after two days, welcome news for thousands of residents of islands and tourists who had been stranded.

PNO’s executive committee was talking about continuing the strike that came as another record summer tourism season but called it off after coming to terms with ferry boat owners.

According to an announcement from PNO, the deadlock was broken after ferry operators offered a pay rise of 2 percent for 2018, to go into effect retroactively from January 1, 2019.

The union had gone on strike last year as well but this year didn’t have a work stoppage during the height of the summer although Greek islands are still overflowing with tourists in September and into October.