ATHENS, Greece, April 22 (UPI) -- Tens of thousands of Greek civil service workers walked off their jobs Thursday in protest of government austerity measures to rein in national debt.
All government offices, courts and schools were closed and hospitals were staffed only for emergencies as doctors joined the strike organized by the country's two largest unions, Kathimerini reported.
Some members of the communist-affiliated labor union PAME began their strike Wednesday, cutting off ferry service at the port of Piraeus. That was in response to Prime Minister George Papandreou's announcement that, to expand the tourism sector, non-EU-flagged ships would be allowed to moor at Greek ports. The union claims that will pose a threat to dockworkers' jobs, the newspaper said.
In Athens Wednesday, hotel workers barricaded the doors to three major hotels, claiming the government's austerity package threatened their job security.
The government has set out a 3-year plan to bring down its record deficit and is in talks with the European Union and International Monetary Fund for a $60 billion loan.
