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Greek Seamen Extend Strike; No Ferries for 4 Days

by Associated Press

   ATHENS --

   Greek seamen and journalists walked off the job Tuesday, a day before a
   nationwide general strike to protest new austerity measures the
   government is legislating for in return for more bailout funds.

   The seamen's union announced Tuesday afternoon they would extend their
   strike, originally planned to last 48 hours, for a further two days,
   leaving ferries servicing Greece's islands tied up in port until
   midnight Friday night.
   The Panhellenic Seamen's Federation said it was asking "for the
   understanding and full support of both the traveling public and all
   Greek workers," adding that the new measures would lead seamen "to
   poverty and destitution."
   Journalists were holding a 24-hour strike Tuesday, pulling news
   broadcasts off the air from 6 a.m. (0300 GMT). News websites were not
   being updated, and no Wednesday newspapers would be printed. Public bus
   company employees were also holding work stoppages during the day.
   Wednesday's general strike is expected to affect services across the
   country, from schools and hospitals to public transport. Air traffic
   controllers have declared participation with a four-hour work stoppage,
   leading to the rescheduling of 99 flights and the cancellation of a
   further nine by Greece's Aegean and Olympic Air. Another airline, Sky
   Express, announced the rescheduling of 41 domestic flights between
   Athens and the Greek islands.
   Protest marches have been scheduled for central Athens in the morning.
   Workers are protesting a new deal with Greece's international creditors
   that impose a raft of new tax hikes and spending cuts beyond the end of
   the country's third bailout in 2018. The measures, which are to be
   voted on in parliament at midnight Thursday, will include additional
   pension cuts in 2019 and higher income tax in 2020.
   Without the agreement with its creditors, Greece faced the prospect of
   running out of cash to service its debts this summer, which could have
   seen it have another brush with bankruptcy.
   Greece is currently in its third international bailout, which is due to
   end in mid-2018. It has been dependent on rescue loans from its
   creditors -- mainly other European countries that use the euro, and the
   International Monetary Fund -- since its first bailout in 2010.
   In return for the funds, successive governments have had to impose
   repeated waves of reforms, which have included tax hikes and salary and
   pension cuts. While the country's finances have improved under the
   bailouts and the strict supervision they imposed, the belt-tightening
   has led to spiraling poverty and unemployment rates.
   Although the jobless rate has been falling from a high of above 27
   percent, it still hovers at around 23 percent.