New strike hits Greece
(02-20 17:10)
Greece was hit by a new fresh strike on Wednesday called by leading unions against unrelenting austerity in the recession-weary nation ahead of an audit by international creditors, disrupting flights, ferries and hospital services.
The radical leftist party Syriza, which heads the opposition, wants to use the strike as a springboard to topple the brittle coalition government of conservative Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, AFP reports.
The strike -- the first general work stoppage in debt-crippled Greece this year -- has forced airport authorities to scrap or reschedule dozens of flights while hospitals were operating on reduced staffing.
Ships will remain docked throughout the day, disrupting ferry services to the islands. And although most public transport will be operating, buses and train services will suffer problems because of planned work stoppages during the day.
Doctors, lawyers and teachers were among several professions joining the action organised by private sector union GSEE and public sector union ADEDY.
The government has seen its parliamentary majority erode after adopting in November a new 18.5-billion-euro round of spending cuts and other reforms by 2016.
The coalition now has 163 deputies in the 300-seat chamber.
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