Protesters, police clash in Athens demonstration

Greek workers and youth took to the streets of Athens once again on Wednesday to protest a new round of austerity measures to be introduced by the social-democratic (PASOK) government of Prime Minister George Papandreou. The demonstration was accompanied by the second general strike to be held this year and the tenth since the outbreak of the international finance crisis in 2008.

The 24-hour strike closed schools and brought public transit to a halt around the country, particularly affecting train and ferry services. Television networks and radio broadcasters took part in the walkout, and printing presses came to a standstill with journalists agreeing not to publish the country’s newspapers until Friday. Teachers, civil servants, nurses, college and university staff also struck in 14 cities across the nation.

Air traffic controllers also staged a walkout, grounding flights for four hours. At the start of Greece’s tourist season the country’s two main flight operators, Olympic and Aegean, were forced to cancel or delay nearly 50 flights. According to the figures of the General Confederation of Workers of Greece (GSEE) up to 100 percent of all workers at the country’s refineries, shipyards and ships, 95 percent in ports, 90 percent in construction, 80 percent in banks, and 85 percent in public utilities and state organisations (DEKO) went on strike. Turnout for the main demonstration in Athens...was estimated at around 20,000.

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2011/may2011/gree-m13.shtml