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Athens - A new anti-austerity general strike in Greece on Thursday seriously disrupted air and rail traffic as well as holiday ferries.
The sixth general strike in the country since February came a day after the Greek parliament increased the retirement age to 65 as part of a pensions reform law aiming to save billions of euros.
More than 80 international and domestic flights were cancelled and 110 were delayed when air traffic controllers joined the strike, aviation officials said.
No trains ran, city buses were off the streets and all ships were also blocked in ports. Tourists were warned that ferry departures would be put back to Friday.
The public administration, hospitals and state companies were all badly hit by the 24 hour strike.
The GSEE labour confederation for the private sector, Adedy for government employees and the communist confederation Pame all called rallies in Athens and other main cities against the socialist government's measures.
The new law passed by the Greek parliament is the latest in a series of measures taken to ease the country's debt crisis which has rocked international markets.
The retirement age has been increased from 60 to 65 and pensions are cut by an average of 7%.
The government agreed to press through the measures in return for a €110bn rescue loan from the European Union and International Monetary Fund.
Greece is struggling under debt approaching 300 billion euros. Its public debt has been estimated at 13.6% of gross domestic product.
- AFP
