Strike paralyses Greek rail system

Greek railway workers went on strike Thursday against plans to privatise the loss-making national rail system, paralysing train travel across the cash-strapped country. With cries of "hands off our public transport", more than 1,000 people also demonstrated in front of the parliament against the project, which is being pushed by the International Monetary Fund and the European Union as part of the 110-billion-euro (140-billion-dollar) bailout of Greece.
Greek police clash with Acropolis protesters The strike forced the cancellation of most train services across the country, including the rail link to Athens airport, and paralysed the city's metro system. It coincides with lawmakers beginning their review of the project to restructure and privatise part of Greece's loss-making rail system, with the government aiming to get a law adopted by next month.
The project would split Greece's OSE public rail company, which posts losses of over 10 billion euros per year, into two entities: a Trainose operating company and Geose that would own the rail infrastructure. The Greek state would absorb the rail company's debt, and the number of jobs would be slashed from 6,000 to 2,300, with those who cannot take early retirement offered jobs elsewhere in the public sector. The plan is to then sell 49 percent of Trainose operator to a private investor.
The European Union and International Monetary Fund bailed out Greece in May when it could no longer raise funds on the financial markets at reasonable rates to pay down debt and cover spending. Greece is required to slash spending and restructure vast swathes of its economy.
Greek riot police used batons and teargas on Thursday to disperse about 150 protesting workers who had barred tourists from the Acropolis monuments, Greece's most famous landmark. The workers had blocked the main entrance gate to the ancient marble temples since Wednesday, saying they had been left unpaid for two years and demanding that their temporary contracts be renewed.
"Police entered the site from a side door and dispersed them using teargas grenades," a Reuters eyewitness said, adding there were no injuries. "The gate is open now." The Acropolis remained closed for tourists after the brief clashes, as police cordoned off the main gate to prevent protesters from entering the site. Rallying workers vowed to continue with protests.