国际英语新闻：Greek public servants protest austerity measures with 24-hour strike

ATHENS, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Greek public sector employees staged a 24-hour strike Wednesday to protest announced salary freezes and reforms in taxation and the pension system.

As the government tries to convince its EU partners and international markets that the country has the potential to solve its severe economic woes, Greek citizens resist certain changes.

Wednesday's national strike, sponsored by ADEDY, the main union of public servants, paralyzed schools, universities, and hospitals. It also caused major disruptions to air flights.

Hundreds of protesters gathered in central Athens on Wednesday despite the rain, and marched toward the Parliament and the Ministry of Labor to demonstrate against the austerity measures.

"Since the government moved on to changes we had rejected in the first place, we had to protest today and on Thursday we will decide on our next steps" said Ilias Iliopoulos, general secretary of the ADEDY.

ADEDY was to make a decision whether public servants would participate in the next big strike called by GSEE, the main union of private sector employees, on Feb. 24, or stage another strike in March.

Taxi drivers were to hold their own 24-hour strike Thursday to protest increases in the fuel tax and tax reforms.

Public and private sector workers have called for increases in wages, changes to their taxation and the creation of more jobs. They want the government to find other ways to solve the crisis and not put more burdens on low-income Greeks.