Greece braced for strike by unions

"Workers will raise their fist and shout with one voice: We won't pay for the crisis," GSEE, a private-sector union, said in a statement.

"No one, nothing is going to terrorise workers."

The government's plans to save $6.5bn released last week include increases in sales tax, reductions in civil servant wages and a pensions freeze, backed by the EU.

The GSEE and Adedy, its public-sector sister union, said that the measures will hurt the poor and worsen the economy.

Strikes' effect

About half of the nation's five million workers are represented by the unions and the 24-hour strike will shut schools, hospitals and tourist sites, and keep flights grounded.

But some experts think that the strike will have little effect.

"Everything will be dead in Greece but the majority of people understand there is no other option," Costas Panagopoulos, a pollster, said.

"I don't believe a strike and rallies can seriously affect the government's policies."

About 1,500 riot policemen will be placed in the centre of Athens, the capital, for the protests expected to begin at 09:00 GMT on Thursday.

Greek workers are prone to strike, incidents of which have turned violent in the past