Shutdown Lasted Four Hours In Protest Of Government Austerity Measures

Air traffic to all Greek airports ground to a halt Thursday morning as air traffic controllers joined other government workers in a four-hour protest against government austerity measures and pension reforms.

Tax collectors and customs officials were also part of the strike, which lasted until 1200 GMT Thursday.

The Associated Press reports that lawmakers in Greece are trying to reform that country's welfare system and labor rules, including pension reforms. Several hundred government workers reportedly protested outside Parliament as the lawmakers debated.

When the strike ended, outgoing flights from Greek airports were "extremely backed up", causing lengthy delays.

The austerity measures were instituted when Greece barely avoided massive loan defaults in May, thanks to a $139 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund. The measures triggered what has become a series of strikes and walkouts by angry union employees, but Thursday was the first to involve air traffic controllers.

FMI: http://www.greeceindex.com/political-system/greek_parliament.html