Strikes hit Greece over move to curb industrial action

ATHENS, Jan 15 (AFP): A general strike crippled public transport in Athens on Monday and was set to hit air traffic ahead of a parliamentary vote on controversial reforms demanded by Greece's creditors, including curbs on industrial action.

Apart from introducing much larger quorums on unions to call a strike, the 100-odd reforms also provide for the foreclosure and online auction of properties belonging to bad debt holders. Both are fiercely opposed by leftists and trade unions.

Debt-laden Greece has received three multi-billion-euro bailouts since 2010.

The third rescue programme, currently financially supported by EU states but not the International Monetary Fund, runs to August 2018 and Athens then hopes to fully return to market financing.