Greek public sector strike over job cuts

Public sector workers across Greece began a 48-hourstrike Wednesday to protest the government's plan to cut at least11,000 jobs under its austerity programme this year, dpa reported.Workers were scheduled to hold a rally in Athens and in the northernport city of Thessaloniki.The nationwide walkout, the second since last week, was called by theADEDY union. Government offices and schools were shut and statehospitals in Athens and Pireaus were operating on skeleton staff.Athens' economic reforms have pushed the economy deeper intorecession and sent unemployment to a record level of 28 per cent.Greece is required to implement measures ranging from tax hikes to salary and pension cuts under a 240-billion-euro (334-billion-dollar)international bailout.