Protests Against Pension Reform Paralyze Greece
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ATHENS — A nationwide strike to protest pension reform brought Greece to a standstill Thursday, with banks and businesses closed and tourists blocked from ancient sites or stranded on islands.
About 10,000 demonstrators marched outside Parliament during the second mass strike in three weeks. Labor unions strongly oppose the Socialist government’s plans to overhaul Greece’s near-bankrupt pension system.
A few people scuffled with police, and at least one protester was hospitalized with injuries, but there were no reports of widespread clashes.
The impact of the 24-hour strike was felt everywhere. All government offices and most transportation services were idle. Flight schedules were pared down.
Guards and other workers at tourist sites joined the strike.
More than 50,000 protesters streamed through central Athens during the first strike April 26.
The protests forced the government to back off from sweeping proposals that included pension cuts and an increase in the minimum retirement age to 65.
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