Greece hit with second general strike

ATHENS, Greece, March 5 (UPI) -- A second general strike in nine days crippled Greece Friday with workers protesting deficit-cutting government measures announced this week.

The Communist Party-affiliated labor union PAME and the civil service ADEDY union workers walked off the job, closing banks, schools, public transit, flights and reducing hospitals to skeleton staff, the Kathimerini newspaper reported.

The first general strike paralyzed the country Feb. 24, a week before Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou's socialist government announced a budget that raised taxes and cut civil service salaries and pensions to address the country's $400 billion deficit.

The unions also announced plans for a third nationwide strike Tuesday, the report said.

Meanwhile, Papandreou was in Berlin for talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, seeking stronger European Union support in his battle to bring down Greek debt, the report said.