Flights to and from Greece were grounded for several hours Today as air traffic controllers joined a 24-hour public sector strike to protest against pension reforms and low salaries, according to dpa. Thousands marched through Athens to express their discontent over the government's reaction to the global economic crisis, with public wage freezes and pension reforms. Shouting anti-government slogans, banners that read "Give us back what you have stolen from us" demonstrators gathered in the boulevard in front of parliament. Meanwhile at Athens International Airport and other airports across the country air traffic was suspended for four hours, with only emergency flights landing and taking off. Olympic Airlines and Aegean Airlines cancelled 75 flights and rescheduled another 28. The nationwide strike was called by Greece's largest public sector union, ADEDY which represents more than half a million workers. The strike, which also shut down ministries, public services, and caused the country's hospitals to operate on emergency staffing is the latest in a series of protests since the police shooting of a teenager in December that sparked the country's worst riots in decades. The union is protesting the government's recent pension reforms, which raise the retirement age and cut back benefits as the country struggles with high unemployment. The ruling conservative government has also said that it will take further measures if necessary to bring down its deficit in line with European Union norms. Unemployment is above 7 per cent, and nearly 20 per cent of Greeks live below the poverty line, earning less than 600 euros (775 dollars) a month.
