Greece mirrors Ireland as public sector cuts spark mass strikes

A strike by civil servants today grounded all flights and shut down public services across Greece, as labour unions mounted their first major challenge to austerity measures in the debt-plagued country.

Air traffic controllers, customs and tax officials, hospital doctors and school teachers walked off the job for 24 hours to protest against sweeping government spending cuts that will freeze salaries and new hiring, cut bonuses and increase the average retirement age by two years to 63.