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| Greeks Stage General Strike Against Austerity | Greeks Stage General Strike Against Austerity |
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| ATHENS — As workers around the world marked the international Labor Day holiday with demonstrations and rallies, thousands of Greeks walked off their jobs on Wednesday in the second general strike against government austerity measures this year, shutting down tax offices and schools, leaving state hospitals to operate with emergency staff and disrupting public transportation. | ATHENS — As workers around the world marked the international Labor Day holiday with demonstrations and rallies, thousands of Greeks walked off their jobs on Wednesday in the second general strike against government austerity measures this year, shutting down tax offices and schools, leaving state hospitals to operate with emergency staff and disrupting public transportation. |
| The Greek protest came as workers in Asia, including Bangladeshis infuriated by the lethal collapse of a garment factory, demonstrated in cities including the capitals of Indonesia, Cambodia and the Philippines. In Turkey, riot police officers sprayed throngs of people in Istanbul with water cannon and tear gas as they gathered for a rally, defying an official ban. | The Greek protest came as workers in Asia, including Bangladeshis infuriated by the lethal collapse of a garment factory, demonstrated in cities including the capitals of Indonesia, Cambodia and the Philippines. In Turkey, riot police officers sprayed throngs of people in Istanbul with water cannon and tear gas as they gathered for a rally, defying an official ban. |
| Labor unions in Spain called for rallies in more than 80 cities, news reports said, while protests were also scheduled in Portugal. In France, the bitterly divided labor movement called for hundreds of demonstrations across the country with rival union confederations holding separate marches. | Labor unions in Spain called for rallies in more than 80 cities, news reports said, while protests were also scheduled in Portugal. In France, the bitterly divided labor movement called for hundreds of demonstrations across the country with rival union confederations holding separate marches. |
| On the streets of Paris the far-right National Front, led by Marine Le Pen, held a traditional May 1 march through the city center, seeking to draw support from disaffected voters at a time when growth has faltered, unemployment is at record levels, and the Socialist government is caught between demands from the right for greater cuts in public spending while the left complains that it is not socialist enough. | |
| France, Ms. Le Pen told thousands of supporters waving French red, white and blue banners outside the Palais Garnier opera house in central Paris, is “sinking in an absurd policy of endless austerity.” | |
| Inveighing against the influence of big business, the European Union in general and Germany in particular, she ascribed French woes to “always saying yes to Brussels, to Berlin, of course, and in all circumstances to the magnates of high finance.” | |
| Such are Europe’s woes that, at the Vatican, the newly elected Pope Francis urged business and political leaders to do more to create jobs. | Such are Europe’s woes that, at the Vatican, the newly elected Pope Francis urged business and political leaders to do more to create jobs. |
| “And here I think of the difficulties that, in various countries, today afflict the world of work and businesses,” he told tens of thousands people gathered for his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square. | “And here I think of the difficulties that, in various countries, today afflict the world of work and businesses,” he told tens of thousands people gathered for his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square. |
| “I think of how many, and not just young people, are unemployed, many times due to a purely economic conception of society, which seeks selfish profit, beyond the parameters of social justice. I wish to extend an invitation to solidarity to everyone, and I would like to encourage those in public office to make every effort to give new impetus to employment.” | “I think of how many, and not just young people, are unemployed, many times due to a purely economic conception of society, which seeks selfish profit, beyond the parameters of social justice. I wish to extend an invitation to solidarity to everyone, and I would like to encourage those in public office to make every effort to give new impetus to employment.” |
| The nationwide walkout in Greece was called by the country’s two main labor unions, which represent some 2.5 million workers and have led resistance to three years of economic reforms that have cut salaries and pensions while increasing taxes. | The nationwide walkout in Greece was called by the country’s two main labor unions, which represent some 2.5 million workers and have led resistance to three years of economic reforms that have cut salaries and pensions while increasing taxes. |
| With public anger giving way to resignation after a seemingly inexorable cycle of belt-tightening in exchange for foreign rescue loans, the unions called for mass participation in the strike to protest “a catastrophic austerity drive” that has driven unemployment above 27 percent — the highest rate in the European Union — and to slightly less than 60 percent among those younger than 25. | With public anger giving way to resignation after a seemingly inexorable cycle of belt-tightening in exchange for foreign rescue loans, the unions called for mass participation in the strike to protest “a catastrophic austerity drive” that has driven unemployment above 27 percent — the highest rate in the European Union — and to slightly less than 60 percent among those younger than 25. |
| Although the strike brought much of Greek daily life to a halt on Wednesday, public transportation was running a limited service to allow Greeks to join rallies. In Athens, as in other major cities, police units were out in force to guard against violence that has marred demonstrations near Parliament in the past but has been isolated in more recent protests. | Although the strike brought much of Greek daily life to a halt on Wednesday, public transportation was running a limited service to allow Greeks to join rallies. In Athens, as in other major cities, police units were out in force to guard against violence that has marred demonstrations near Parliament in the past but has been isolated in more recent protests. |
| Ferries remained in ports and trains in depots, but flights were expected to operate as normal because air traffic controllers were not joining the strike. | Ferries remained in ports and trains in depots, but flights were expected to operate as normal because air traffic controllers were not joining the strike. |
| The strike came just a few days after officials in the euro zone approved the release of 2.8 billion euros in rescue funding for Greece after the country’s Parliament ratified a new raft of economic reforms, including a politically contentious decision to fire 15,000 civil servants by the end of next year. | The strike came just a few days after officials in the euro zone approved the release of 2.8 billion euros in rescue funding for Greece after the country’s Parliament ratified a new raft of economic reforms, including a politically contentious decision to fire 15,000 civil servants by the end of next year. |
| The funding had been due in March but was delayed after talks between the government and officials of Greece’s troika of foreign lenders — the European Commission, the European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund — broke down over the troika’s demands for the civil service cuts. | The funding had been due in March but was delayed after talks between the government and officials of Greece’s troika of foreign lenders — the European Commission, the European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund — broke down over the troika’s demands for the civil service cuts. |
| The country’s governing coalition, which has come under strain as it pushes its painful austerity agenda, must now enforce agreed-to reforms, laying off 2,000 civil servants by the end of June and pushing forward a stalled project to privatize state assets. It faces strong opposition by its main political rival, the leftist party Syriza, which wants Greece to renege on its loan agreement with the troika and is neck-and-neck in opinion polls with the conservative New Democracy, the head of the shaky three-party coalition. | The country’s governing coalition, which has come under strain as it pushes its painful austerity agenda, must now enforce agreed-to reforms, laying off 2,000 civil servants by the end of June and pushing forward a stalled project to privatize state assets. It faces strong opposition by its main political rival, the leftist party Syriza, which wants Greece to renege on its loan agreement with the troika and is neck-and-neck in opinion polls with the conservative New Democracy, the head of the shaky three-party coalition. |
| The European Union and the International Monetary Fund have extended to Greece two foreign bailouts worth 240 billion euros over the past three years, meting out the aid in installments in exchange for austerity measures and reforms. | The European Union and the International Monetary Fund have extended to Greece two foreign bailouts worth 240 billion euros over the past three years, meting out the aid in installments in exchange for austerity measures and reforms. |
Niki Kitsantonis reported from Athens and Alan Cowell from Paris. Elisabetta Povoledo contributed reporting from Rome. | Niki Kitsantonis reported from Athens and Alan Cowell from Paris. Elisabetta Povoledo contributed reporting from Rome. |