Greek government issued on Tuesday a civil mobilization order forcing back to work striking dockworkers on the sixth day of an anti-austerity industrial action which has cut off islands from the mainland, causing basic supplies shortages.

The decision came shortly after the Pan-Hellenic Seamen's Federation (PNO) decided to continue to Friday the 48-hour rolling strikes which started last Thursday.

"The government did the utmost to resolve issues... Unfortunately, there is no more room for dialogue left," Greek Shipping Minister Costis Moussouroulis said in a statement.

Dockworkers protesting at Piraeus port, the largest in Greece, responded that they intend to continue their action and keep ferries tied up in ports nationwide, until all their demands are met.

After marathon talks between the two sides over the past few days, as the first shortages on vegetables and basic food products were reported on the islands, the government pledged that ship owners would pay back wages due.

In addition, strikers demand new collective employment agreements and object to a planned overhaul of coastal shipping regulations, arguing that it would lead to mass layoffs in a sector already suffering from 50 percent unemployment rates.

According to PNO unionists, due to deep recession over the past two years, about 7,000 marine workers out of a total 15,000 registered are currently jobless.

Dockworkers who will not return to job under the civil mobilization order face imprisonment.

The government used the same measure last week to end a nine-day strike of metro workers, as the latest round of anti-austerity strikes began.

Striking dockworkers and other professionals, as well as pensioners who have joined several rallies during the past three years, demand a rollback of the tough cutbacks on wages and tax increases to ease the heavy pressure on recession-hit households.

Government officials respond that there is no room for concessions to strikers. Since 2010, the debt-laden country has been bound by bailout agreements with international creditors which keep it afloat with vital financial aid in exchange of harsh austerity and reform policies.