DHAKA: Greek labour unions staged a 24-hour strike on Thursday that cancelled hundreds of flights, shut public offices and severely disrupted local transport, in the first major industrial action to cripple the austerity-weary country in months.

Private sector union GSEE and its public sector counterpart ADEDY called the walkout to protest against planned layoffs and pension reform demanded by European Union and International Monetary Fund lenders who have bailed out Greece twice.

All Greek domestic and international flights were cancelled after air traffic controllers joined the strike.

Trains and ferries also halted services. Hospitals worked on emergency staff while tax and other local public offices remained shut.

‘GSEE is resisting the dogmatic obsession of the government and the troika with austerity policies and tax hikes,’ the union said in a statement this week, reports The Straits Times.

BDST: 1610 HRS, NOV 27, 2014