Wednesday's general strike to disrupt transport, health and other state services

Workers in the state and private sector are to walk off the job on Wednesday, disrupting public services and some modes of transport on the first general strike of the year against austerity.

Hospitals will be operating on skeleton staff as doctors and nurses join the 24-hour walkout and pharmacies will close for the day. Teachers and prison staff are also scheduled to join the action along with court staff, causing disruption to scheduled trials.

Air-traffic controllers were expected to stage a work stoppage but the timing of the walkout had not been made public by late Monday.

Intercity trains, the Proastiakos suburban railway, trolley buses and ferry services are to be suspended, though the Piraeus-Kifissia electric railway (ISAP) and the metro will be operating as usual, with the exception of the metro’s Doukissis Plakentias - Athens International Airport route, which will be suspended. Blue buses are to run a limited services from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Downtown Athens is expected to experience serious traffic problems as strikers march to protest austerity measures. The country’s two main labor unions, GSEE and ADEDY, which called the walkout, have organized a protest rally to begin at 11 a.m. at central Klafthmonos Square and culminate with a march on Parliament. An hour earlier, the Communist-affiliated labor union PAME is to hold its protest rally at Omonia Square.