Athens, Greece, 11.03.10. -- Tens of thousands of trade unionists and anti-capitalists demonstrated during a nationwide strike against the cash-strapped government's austerity measures.  People explain why the have taken to the streets.

"Today's 24-hour general strike was called by GSEE and ADEDY (private and public sector unions).  They are demanding that working people not pay for the crisis created by the bankers, the Greek, European, and international capitalists.  They are using the crisis as a pretext to cut salaries and literally bleed workers by increasing taxes.  We propose . . . in fact, we don't propose, we demand that the crisis be paid for by those who created it.  This may sound banal but it is necessary."

"I'm here because I think the measures the government is taking are unfair and because it's clear that in the future conditions for the workforce will get much worse."

"Today's strike is the way that the workers express their resistance to the government's new measures in Greece, from lower salaries for the public sector to increases in taxation.  I work in the private sector and I believe that the measures will be passed down to the private sector.  This is a big blow to the entire workforce and it is the biggest attack on Greek unions in post-war years."