Greek public transport workers go on 24-hour strike

Public transport in Athens and train services across Greece are shut down today as state workers protest against cuts in wages and bonuses and the reorganization of state-controlled companies, reports Bloomberg.

The metro, used by 620,000 Athenians daily, along with buses, trolleys and trams, will not operate all day according to a spokesman at the Athens Urban Transport Organization, who declined to be named.

Intercity trains were also canceled, according to an e-mailed statement from Hellenic Railways.

The metro system normally operates from 5:30 am to 12:30 am and is the main link between the city center and Athens International Airport. The strike will not affect operations at the airport or ferry services at the port of Piraeus.

The 24-hour strike takes place a day after Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund, visited Athens where he addressed Greek lawmakers and met with Prime Minister George Papandreou. European Union Economic and Monetary Commissioner Olli Rehn will arrive in the Greek capital tomorrow.

Strauss-Kahn urged the Greek government to "accelerate" the pace of structural reforms in the public sector and state- controlled enterprises, changes demanded by the IMF and the EU in exchange for a 110 billion-euro ($145 billion) bailout package in May.