Civil Servants Launch One-Day Nationwide Strike

Civil servants affiliated with the ADEDY union launched a one-day nationwide strike on 10 February 2010 to protest austerity measures being implemented by the Greek government to combat the country's spiraling budget deficit. Aviation workers joined the strike, resulting in the cancellation of all domestic and international flights to and from Greek airports. The work stoppage also affected public services -- including hospitals, schools and government offices -- and disrupted national rail travel, though local public transportation in Athens and other cities operated normally. Approximately 7,000 protesters gathered in Athens for two separate street demonstrations, while an additional 3,000 people protested in Thessaloniki. There were no reports of violence or arrests during the demonstrations. The private sector GSEE union plans to stage a separate one-day nationwide strike on 24 February that could result in additional disruptions to services; meanwhile, farmers are continuing blockades of border crossing points and major roads across Greece to demand additional assistance from the government.