Greece paralysed by mass strike

Dozens of protestors have thrown several fire bombs at two luxury hotels in the central Syntagma square outside parliament, also setting a car on fire.

Police returned with several rounds of teargas, filling the square with smoke.

Some 15,000 protestors according to police estimates marched in separate Athens demonstrations at the call of the main public and private-sector unions.

The largest unions were hoping for a big turnout to demonstrate their opposition to the government, which is pushing through tough reforms in return for a €110bn EU/IMF bailout.

But with a comfortable parliamentary majority, and future bailout instalments at stake, the ruling socialists are unlikely to reverse course.

Early this morning the 300-seat house voted into law measures that cut wages in state-owned bus and railway companies and weakened the power of collective bargaining to allow company-level deals to prevail.