PROTESTS IN ATHENS, Greece, will see the city without public transport today and tomorrow.

Labour unions are engaging in a 24-hour strike over austerity measures, including wage cuts, which were the Greek parliament is due to vote on today.

The Sofia Echo reports that although public transport workers are on strike, they will work to facilitate people who are participating in the protests.

The rail strike is expected to continue for the rest of the week, while public transport and flights will be affected by a continuing general strike tomorrow.

All state services will be disrupted, including state-owned media and rubbish collection services.

The proposed rail restructuring would see some 2,300 staff cut from a force of 6,000. Other proposals before parliament today include capping wages at state-run firms and introducing wage bargaining in the private sector at company level. Those are part of the conditions of Greece’s €110bn EU/IMF bailout, Reuters reports.

Under the deal, Greece has agreed to cut its budget deficit from 15.4% of DGP in 2009 to below 3% by 2014.