Greeks strike over labour reforms
UPSOT CHANTING
A cry of protest from Greek workers ....
Taking to the streets of Athens on Wednesday (October 2) - in protest at proposed new labour reforms.
It's the second such strike by private sector employees this week.
Public sector workers were also planning stoppages.
As anger mounted at what unions see as a bid to crimp their rights ...
(SOUNDBITE) (Greek) STRIKING TEACHER, SOFIA SKLAVENITI, SAYING:
"With the measures that are in the bill, we are returning to medieval conditions for workers."
Shipping at the port of Piraeus was also hit ...
And trainlines brought to a standstill.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' conservative government plans to change rules on strikes and wage agreements, as well as set up a registry for unions.
After its crippling debt crisis a decade ago, Greece exited its third bailout in 2018 ...
Having suffered years of stringent austerity policies that saw wages and pensions cut, and taxes hiked.
Its creditors have called for further moves to free up the labour market.
The unions' claim is that the reforms will neither boost economic growth, nor reduce a jobless rate which - at 17 per cent - is the highest in the euro zone.
