Athens, April 17 (RHC)-- Thousands of workers employed at a Canadian-run gold mine in northern Greece have staged a demonstration in the Greek capital, Athens, in protest against a decision by the incumbent leftist government to revoke the company's license.

An estimated 4,000 miners and other workers clad in fluorescent green vests staged the protest rally in Athens on Thursday. They waved flags, which read "Yes to mines, yes to growth," and chanted slogans, forcing police to shut down major roads for hours.

"We will not negotiate our right for employment, for dignity," the representatives of the workers said in a statement. Mine workers fear they will lose their jobs because the ruling Syriza Party has accused Vancouver-based Eldorado Gold mining company of environmental and financial breaches and has revoked its license.

Eldorado Gold has invested $450 million in two Greek gold mines since 2012, and planned to invest another $700 million by 2017 in two more mines and a processing plant.