Greece hit by new wave of strikes

Labor unions of employees working in debt-ridden public transport services in Athens staged another 48-hour strike this week over a government plan to restructure the sector, which envisages further cutbacks on wages and allowances.

Unionists defied a court order which declared the strike illegal, continuing a wave of protests in the sector which started in November.

Apart from traffic jams in Athens due to the strike of transport services, Greek citizens also suffer this week from one more strike of doctors of state hospitals and public health services centers who denounce planned reforms targeting the health sector.

A group of approximately 150 doctors has occupied a hall inside the Health Ministry, requesting "imminent substantial dialogue" with the government on the reforms.

They argued that the plan to save expenses in the context of more fiscal discipline to exit the crisis by 2014, will lead to worse services for patients; Kazinform cites Xinhua.

Read more at www.news.xinhuanet.com