Greek public transport and state services face disruption on Thursday as labour unions launch a 24-hour strike in protest at the Government’s decision to shut down the country’s public broadcaster ERT.
International flights are expected to be disrupted between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. (1200-1400 GMT) when air traffic controllers will walk off the job.
A five-hour walkout by staff at the Civil Aviation Authority, beginning at noon, is expected to ground all domestic flights.
Bus and train services will be severely affected while the Athens metro will be running on a reduced service.
The strike, the third to be called by labour unions this year, will also shut down tax offices and schools and leave hospitals operating with emergency staff.
In a show of support, private television, radio and newspaper journalists also continued an open-ended strike on Thursday, causing a news blackout across the country.
A protest rally organised by the country’s main private and public sector unions GSEE and ADEDY will be held at noon outside the ERT’s main broadcasting centre in Athens.
ERT’s television and radio signals went off air on Wednesday, a day after the country’s conservative-led coalition government made the surprise announcement, accusing the broadcaster of “extravagant spending and lack of transparency.” The government said a new public broadcaster would be launched before the end of the summer, with fewer than 1,200 workers to be hired by the new company. Currently, some 2,500 employees face the sack.
In an act of defiance, ERT journalists have occupied the main broadcasting centre and continue a live internet stream as thousands of workers and supporters continue demonstrating outside.