Strike hits Greece public services

A 24-hour anti-austerity strike by Greece’s largest labour unions crippled public services today, as the Socialist government prepared to begin a battle to push through last-ditch cost-cutting reforms which will extend beyond its own term in office.

The strike left state hospitals running on emergency staff, disrupted port traffic and public transport, and forced radio and television news programmes off the air. Flights, however, were operating normally after the air traffic controllers’ union called off its participation in the strike.