Greek strike grounds flights, shuts banks and schools

Flights to and from Greece were grounded, public services and banks shut down and urban transport came to a halt yesterday when Greek workers went on strike in protest over the government's economic policy.

Thousands of Greeks marched through central Athens to oppose the 2009 draft budget, which goes to Parliament for debate this week. They are also angry at tax collection measures and privatisations of companies, such as Olympic Airlines.

Unions said millions went on strike, while protesters walked to Parliament, bringing traffic to a standstill, beating drums and chanting "It will never pass!" Industrialists said they had no figures for the number of people taking part.

"We are protesting because they are not listening to us... The government guarantees the banks but it cut my pension," said Kyriaki Tassioula, 45, a waitress.

The action by private sector umbrella union GSEE and its public sector counterpart ADEDY, which group around half of Greece's workforce, also shut down schools and banks. Hospitals operated with emergency staff and journalists imposed a 24-hour news blackout.

Greece, which accounts for about 2.5 per cent of the eurozone economy, is starting to feel the pinch of a slowing global economy.

Finance Minister George Alogoskoufis has said Greece is ready to spend €28 billion to shield its banks.

"We are here because we have problems and the government ignores us, but politicians are rich and we are poor," said a 28-year-old artist.