Aircraft grounded as Greek airline cancels flights (Roundup)

Oct 8, 2008, 12:35 GMT

Athens - Flights at Athens International Airport were cancelled and traffic ground to a halt in the Greek capital Wednesday as state company workers joined a nationwide 24-hour strike protesting government plans to privatize state carrier Olympic Airlines.

The cancellations at the capital's international airport affected more than 100 flights to European destinations such as London, Rome, Paris and Frankfurt, as well as some domestic flights.

Urban transport also came to a standstill in major cities as the country's largest union, GSEE, which represents more than 2 million workers, called the nationwide strike to protest a government plan to sell off the airline.

Traffic was backed up for hours throughout the Greek capital as bus, trolley bus and tram employees staged numerous work stoppages throughout the day, forcing people to use their cars to get to work.

Thousands gathered in front of parliament at noon, shouting anti- government slogans and protesting the privatizations.

'We demand the government put an end to these privatizations. These are neither smart not are they considered reforms,' GSEE Vice President Alekos Kalivas told state radio NET, adding that 'the government cannot continue to sell off state assets.'

Dockers, post office employees and workers at the national railway also joined airport staff in the strike to protest privatization plans and labour reforms which are likely to target pension benefits.

Workers at partially privatized telecommunication company OTE, the state-run Public Power Corporation, state hospital employees and print and broadcast journalists also walked off the job for a few hours.

Last month, the Greek government launched a tender to sell off ailing Olympic Airlines, saying it would find new public sector jobs for its workers. But union leaders have pledged to halt the privatization.

Union officials have said they will hold talks with union leaders from Italy's Alitalia to find ways to extend the protest.

The conservative government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, said it will push forward with reforms and privatizations despite union opposition.