Strikes'R'Us

The Greek parliament has passed a second austerity law which will last until 2015. In the meantime protesters have started gathering in the heart of Athens ready to demonstrate over the parliament’s decision.

More than half a million UK public sector workers are involved in industrial action to protest against government plans to change their pensions and freeze pay. Schools are closed and transport is being badly affected by the workers’ one-day strike.

British union leader Mark Serwotka says public sector workers, who are going on a nationwide strike on June 30, will not allow the cabinet to go on with the planned cuts of budget spending.

It has been a month since Constitution Square (Syntagma Square), where the Greek Parliament sits, turned into a site of public protest against the government.

The Greek Parliament has won a crucial confidence vote, 155 for and 143 against, allowing it to proceed with savage new austerity cuts needed for another EU and IMF bailout loan.

An RT crew has been hit by tear gas that was being used by police to disperse anti-austerity protests in central Athens. The protesters - said by some reports to number more than 20,000 - had encircled Parliament and were blocking MPs’ access.