Greek public transport, media strike against cuts

[Joanne98]

Source: Reuters

(Reuters) - Greek public transport and media workers launched a week of anti-austerity strikes on Monday expected to ground flights, disrupt services and pile rubbish on the streets in the run-up to Christmas holidays.

Parliament on Monday began discussing a bill to cap wages at state-run firms and introduce company-level wage bargaining in the private sector, both key elements in a 110-billion euro bailout agreement with the EU and the IMF.

Public buses across the country and the Athens subway stopped operating for six hours on Monday. Workers at the state broadcaster ERT joined the walkout while staff at the state-owned ATEbank (AGBr.AT) went on rolling 24-hour strikes.

Protests will peak on Wednesday, when the main labour unions from the public and private sector have called a 24-hour general strike. Flights will be grounded and all state services, including garbage collection, disrupted.



Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSLNE6BC04X20101213