Greece braced for new wave of strikes

(NewsPoint) –Greece is braced for a wave of new strikes as a number of professions have announced plans to strike next week.

Beginning today (Friday) metro and train workers have been on strike in Athens, severely disrupting transport systems and forcing commuters to use cars, instead of public transport. This strike is set to continue on Monday and Tuesday, along with journalists participating in a twenty-four hour strike on Monday, before being joined by bank workers on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Other protests next week will affect ferry services, state hospitals and the ambulance service.

The strikes come as Greece has finalised its 2013 budget, including severe increases to austerity measures. Mass unrest has been seen in Athens and across Greece for several weeks, with thousands taking to the streets to oppose the government's continued spending cuts.