December 1, 2011
Emergency staff ran hospitals, schools closed and thousands of austerity-weary Greeks took to the streets on Thursday in a 24-hour general strike that tested the resolve of a national unity government.
Chanting "Get out, take the budget and get out of here!," Greeks poured into the square in front of parliament to protest a new dose of austerity medicine prescribed by foreign lenders as the price for bailout loans.
European leaders approved an 8 billion euro ($10.8 billion) tranche of aid this week to prevent Greece, now led by technocrat Prime Minister Lucas Papademos, from going bankrupt.
Unions representing about 2.5 million people -- around half of the national workforce -- called the strike to protest a new round of tax hikes and spending cuts in store for Greeks already reeling from layoffs, lower pensions and salary cuts.
"They are killing us. They are killing workers. They are killing the Greek spirit," said Evangelos Routsas, a 55-year-old protester. "We are here to tell them we won't be silent."
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