Thousands of local government employees rally in Athens as part of a nation-wide two-day anti-austerity protest.<br/> <br />The workers are protesting wage cuts and reductions in funding to local authorities.<br/> <br />One small-town mayor says cutbacks have seriously affected basic services, and that the most vulnerable were being hit particularly hard.<br/> <br />Elsewhere, hotel staff marched to the Labour ministry, angry at wage and job cuts.<br/> <br />Unions representing the disabled joined the protests as well, calling for a stop to benefit cuts to their members.<br/> <br />Hospital workers, teachers and military personnel are due to hold their own protests later in the day.<br/> <br />Officials in Athens are continuing talks to nail down nearly 12 billion euros of budget cuts in the next two years.<br/> <br />The measures are part of the conditions needed to unlock the EU and IMF aid packages the country needs in order to avoid bankruptcy.
