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Greek unions step up protests, blockade boats
Hundreds of dockworkers blockaded passenger boats at Greece's largest port on Wednesday to protest against austerity measures as the government launched talks with the EU and the IMF about financial aid.
The blockade at Athens' Piraeus port was part of a 48-hour strike called by communist trade union PAME against belt-tightening policies aimed at pulling the debt-choked country out of a crisis that has shaken the euro.
Greece started talks with European Union and International Monetary Fund officials to hammer out details of an economic plan that could offer it up to $60.5 billion.
Launching a series of strikes this week, PAME, which represents thousands of public and private sector workers, said austerity measures including tax hikes and public wage cuts only hurt the poor and should be withdrawn.
"Our strike was a necessity, due to the government's fierce attack on our pensions, our employment rights and our income. We want measures that will protect the unemployed,"leading PAME member George Perros said. "We will step up protests."