Commuters and hard-hit retailers face another difficult week ahead, with another wave of strikes planned by Athens public transport workers that are continuing to struggle against the government's reforms to the sector even though these were passed by Parliament and have now become law.

Athens buses will kick off the week with work stoppages starting at 11:00 a.m. and ending at 4:30 p.m. on Monday.

On Tuesday they will also be joined by staff in the ISAP electric railway, who will strike for four hours from noon until 4:00 p.m., while buses and trolleys will pull up their parking brakes from 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. in order to hold a general meeting and decide on their next course of action.

Wednesday will see all public transport except the ISAP electric railway grind to a halt for the 24-hour nationwide strike declared by the country's two main union federations, the General Confederation of Employees of Greece (GSEE) and the civil servants' union federation ADEDY.

The ISAP railway will operate from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. in order to carry people wanting to take part in a march that will be held in the centre of Athens.

Buses will hold yet another work stoppage next Friday, between 11:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. while all means of public transport will hold a work stoppage at those hours on the following Monday, February 28 so that public transport employees can attend a joint general assembly at the Peace and Friendship Stadium in Faliro.