A nationwide general strike in Greece has disrupted public services across the country, with ferries tied up at port, flights grounded and public transport running only part-time, as unions press for an end to austerity measures imposed on Greece by international creditors a decade ago.
Thousands of protesters marched through the center of the capital Athens in two separate demonstrations, both of which ended peacefully.
The 24-hour strike was called by the two main unions covering the public and private sectors. They are demanding wage increases and a full return of collective bargaining rights, which were stripped as part of the international bailout packages during Greece's financial crisis.
Commercial flights to and from Greece and between domestic destinations were canceled from midnight Wednesday until midnight Thursday, while in the Greek capital, buses, trains, trams and the metro system operated only for part of the day.
The country is currently struggling with a rising cost of living amid concerns that global financial turmoil caused by US tariffs could lead to further hardship.
"The high cost of living is eating away at workers' incomes, without any care from the government," said a statement from the General Confederation of Workers of Greece, the umbrella union of the private sector, which added that a large segment of the country's population spends more than 40% of its income on housing and heating.
"We are fighting for a salary increase because none of the increases that have been announced at the moment meet our needs. They have been wiped out by the high cost of living, forcing us to cut back everywhere else to survive," explained the hotel's boss, Georgios Skoufos.
The public sector union (ADEDY) called for wage increases and the return of holiday bonuses for the civil service, which were equivalent to two months' pay before they were removed as part of the austerity bailout measures. (A2 Televizion)
A2 CNN Livestream
MUND TE LEXONI GJITHASHTU
