Greek civil servants have walked off the job at the start of a 48-hour public sector strike, the second in two weeks, to protest job cuts required for the country to continue receiving international rescue loans.
State school, tax office and hospital workers were expected to join the strike which began Tuesday. Ambulances services were to run with a reduced staff. Journalists were to join with a three-hour work stoppage.
Despite the strike, many services remained open, including post offices and some schools and tax offices.
Under the conditions of its international bailout, Greece's government must suspend 12,500 workers on reduced pay by the end of the month. Those who cannot be absorbed into other public sector positions will lose their jobs.