ATHENS (Reuters)  Greek truck drivers defied an emergency government order Thursday to end their strike and return to work.

The country’s 33,000 licensed truck drivers walked out on Monday in protest over the government’s plans to slash the price of new trucking licenses, a key provision in a multibillion-dollar plan worked out with the European Union and the International Monetary Fund to help Greece avoid defaulting on its debt.

The financial rescue package, which was agreed to in early May, will require years of painful belt-tightening in Greece. In return, the nation’s European partners and the I.M.F. agreed to provide $146 billion in loans over the next three years, intended to help Greece avoid a default. The drivers risked criminal prosecution and the loss of their licenses after the goverment evoked emergency powers on Wednesday to order them back to work. The government cited risks to public health because food, fuel and medicines were not being delivered to retailers.

The order was issued about 7.30 p.m. on Wednesday, and the truckers had 24 hours to comply, a deadline they ignored.