Greece faces mass strike shutdown

Greece is expected to face a 48-hour general strike on Wednesday, the biggest protest in years, as parliament prepares to vote on sweeping new austerity measures designed to stave off a default that could trigger a crisis in the wider euro zone. The vote on the austerity measures includes more tax hikes, pay cuts and job losses. The mass strike that could ground flights, halt most public services and shut offices and shops. According to the (BBC), the pace of protests in Greece has been increasing for several weeks. There have been lightning strikes across virtually every sector of the economy with rubbish not collected and government ministries blockaded by their own workers. Into this scene comes the strike over Wednesday and Thursday called by Greece''s two big unions covering public and private sector workers. Government departments, businesses, offices and shops are all expected to be shut. Planes, trains, buses, taxis and lorries will not be operating. And for the first time, small business owners and shopkeepers are taking part. "We are going to send a loud message to the government and the political system," said Costas Tsikrikas, the head of the public workers'' union Adedy. The strikers are planning to gather outside the parliament in Athens later on Wednesday morning to protest against the government''s tough austerity measures. There were violent clashes in June between police and protesters demanding an end to the austerity measures outside the parliament. Legislators are voting on two bills on Wednesday and Thursday that include cuts to the pay and pensions of public sector workers, higher taxes and the suspension of collective labour agreements. Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou''s Pasok party has a four-seat majority but some of his backbenchers have threatened to vote against the measures. Greece is struggling to reduce a huge government deficit amid fears it may default and set off a eurozone crisis. The EU and IMF have demanded tough cuts in return for two bailouts. The country finds itself with rising unemployment and a stalled economy with a government debt that is 162% of its gross domestic product. It went on a big, debt-funded spending spree, including paying for high-profile projects such as the 2004 Athens Olympics, which went well over its budget.