Greeks strike against austerity, test govt mettle

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Greek protests against new austerity measures are set to swell on Wednesday when public and private sector workers take to the streets together in a test of the government's resolve to enforce tough budget cuts.About 4,000 teachers, garbage collectors, pensioners and civil servants rallied in Athens on Tuesday, in the first march organised by unions after the government announced sweeping spending cuts to secure an EU/IMF rescue package.Unions have promised much bigger crowds on Wednesday when private sector workers join forces with the public sector's 48-hour strike for a day.All flights will be grounded on Wednesday and the country could grind to a virtual halt in the third joint public-private sector walkout since the start of the year.Hospitals will work on skeleton staff, public transport will come to a halt for most of the day, and some shops will be shut as private workers join the public sector strike.In the meantime, workers, students and pensioners will march to parliament to protest 30 billion euros ($39.96 billion) in tax hikes and spending cuts agreed by Greece this weekend in return for a 110 billion euros ($146.5 billion) aid package.Opinion polls show increasing anger among ordinary Greeks who feel they are made to pay the price of their country's crisis while tax evasion and corruption go unpunished."These measures are unfair, they burden the poor and the weak only," said Ilias Iliopoulos, the general secretary of public sector union ADEDY. "We will keep on protesting and urge workers to insist."The level of participation is watched closely as a test of the strength of opposition to the measures.Investors are worried social unrest could jeopardise government efforts to reform Greece under the package, in a country where street protests have turned violent in the past.On Tuesday, police fired teargas at a small group that pelted them with rocks and bottles outside parliament but the overall turnout was smaller compared to earlier protests.Government ministries, tax offices, schools and hospitals shut for the rally and 118 domestic flights were cancelled.The euro sank to a one-year low of beneath $1.31 and the risk premium on Greek, Portuguese and Spanish bonds soared amid concerns over the implementation of the Greek aid and reform plan and worries over the fiscal health of other southern European countries.(Writing by Ingrid Melander; Editing by Maria Golovnina)

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