Greece public transport disrupted as unions stage strike

Several thousand Greek workers took to the streets on Wednesday to protest the government's austerity measures as a 24-hour nationwide strike disrupted public transport across the country. Ferries remained docked, rail services were halted and hospitals were functioning with skeletal staff, according to a report of DPA. Police said approximately 5,000 people took part in rallies, which were largely peaceful, through the centre of Athens. Government agencies remained closed for the day. The demonstrations on Labour Day, called by the country's two largest private and public sector unions GSEE and ADEDY, are against the government's plan to cut 15,000 public sector jobs by the end of 2014 and further reductions to wages and pensions. The measures are demanded by Greece's international creditors in return for releasing an 8.8-billion-euro ($11.5-billion) tranche from the rescue package that has kept the government solvent.