Greek riot police fired tear gas at rock throwing protesters, at the start of a general strike in the capital, Athens, on Wednesday.
Two major Greek unions representing public and private sector employees are striking in response to continuing austerity measures imposed by Prime Minister George Papandreou.
The strike called by Greece's largest umbrella trade union, the General Confederation of Employees of Greece , and the biggest public sector union is impacting air travel, and public transit as well as hospitals and schools. Greece's journalists union and many small shop owners are also honoring the strike.
The unions are upset over cuts Mr. Papandreou imposed last year in exchange for a $150 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund and European countries.
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The IMF has been pressuring Greece to speed up its reforms to avoid missing its economic goals.
Greece has also been urged to launch a five-year privatization program to pay down some its debts