General strike brings Greece to a standstill

It has been dubbed ‘the mother of all strikes’ and it is not hard to understand why.

Even the Acropolis has been closed to visitors in a two-day show of strength by Greece’s angry workforce.

Public transport has ground to a halt nationwide, on the roads and railways, and a 12-hour walkout by air traffic controllers caused widespread flight disruption.

The strike has been called by unions representing around half of Greece’s workers, in the public and private sectors. So, as well as government departments, banks, bakeries and pharmacies have all pulled down the shutters.

The signs of discontent were already visible in Athens. For over two weeks, industrial action by binmen has left rubbish rotting on the streets.

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