Strike Halts Greek Services, Transport, Business

Flights to and from Greece were expected to be suspended and banks and schools shut down during the 24-hour strike.

Hundreds of thousands of Greeks joined a nationwide strike on Thursday to protest against low salaries and job cuts, disrupting transport and shutting down services.

Flights to and from Greece were expected to be suspended for several hours later on Thursday, banks and schools shut down during the 24-hour strike, called by public and private unions representing about half of the country's 5 million workforce.

The walkout was the second nationwide protest against the conservative government since the police shooting of a teenager in December triggered the worst riots in decades, fuelled by the country's sharp economic downturn.

"We have total participation," said Stathis Anestis, a spokesman for the private sector union federation GSEE. "Workers want the (government's) policy to change. Those who created the crisis have to pay for it, not workers."

Air-traffic controllers were due to walk off the job for four hours from 12-4 p.m. (0900-1300 GMT), suspending all but emergency flights. State carrier Olympic has cancelled 140 domestic and international flights, while its rival Aegean Airlines has cancelled 50 domestic flights.

Bus drivers in Athens walked off for three hours before the morning rush-hour and were planning another walkout late in the evening. Some inter-city trains were cancelled.

The strike also affected ministries, public offices and hospitals. Boats did not move from Greece's ports, while print and broadcast media closed for the day.

Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis's government launched a 28-billion-euro ($37 billion) bank support package in January but a huge debt and fiscal problems have prevented the ruling conservatives from giving substantial relief to the poor.

The government, which has a one-seat parliamentary majority, has been rocked by scandals and almost daily violence, including home-made bomb and arson attacks on government buildings and businesses.

The country has announced a public sector wage freeze and one-off taxes on those making over 60,000 euros a year in an effort to shore up its budget.