May Day protests held in Athens

Workers hit by lower living standards and high unemployment are expected to take part in May Day protests staged in Athens and other cities on Monday.

Greece's umbrella unions, the private sector's GSEE and the public sector's ADEDY, are organizing a rally at 11 a.m. in central Athens. It will start at Klafthmonos Square and end in front of Parliament on Syntagma Square.

"[Greece's] bailout government and the creditors have been squeezing the people and workers for seven years," ADEDY said in a statement.

A general strike will be held against austerity on May 17.

Members of PAME, the Communist Party-affiliated labor union, are staging a separate rally on Syntagma Square at 10 a.m.

"Our government honors the struggles of the working class. And, in spite of the extremely adverse conditions, it tries to back up words with actions," Labor...