Photo Gallery Strikes Cripple Greece
A string of strikes among public and private sector workers in Greece caused traffic jams and major service interruptions this week, as the country's biggest unions worked against a proposed pension reform bill. Garbage piled up in Athens during a municipal worker strike.
Greece's interior minister has urged garbage collectors to return to work, saying the pile-up could lead to a public health crisis.
At a protest staged by the striking garbage collectors in Athens on Wednesday, some of the workers began hurling uncollected garbage at police.
Also on Wednesday, some 5,000 protestors gathered outside the Greek parliament building to protest pension reforms that the Greek government will vote on next week.
Public transport employees and railway workers in Athens went on strike Thursday, prompting major traffic jams.
Traffic was also complicated last week in Athens by intermittent power blackouts, which made for dangerous situations like this unruly intersection.
The blackouts could last into the week ahead, as electrical workers stage staggered 24-hour strikes. The strikes could culminate in a nationwide work stoppage on March 19, scheduled to coincide with a parliamentary vote on the proposed reforms.
