Strike threat to Olympic venues

A one-day strike by Greece's largest trade union today threatened to delay further work on venues for this summer's Olympic Games.

Hundreds of thousands of workers from the General Confederation of Labour, including those in the construction trade, are striking in support of an eight per cent pay claim.

The International Olympic Committee has repeatedly warned the Greek government that it cannot afford to lose even a single day from the tight construction timetable after work on the various Olympic sites has been plagued by years of delays.

It fears that the main stadium in Athens will not now be completed until 20 July - only 24 days before the Games are due to open on Friday 13 August.

Both the building contractors and the Athens Olympic organising committee say they are not concerned about the strike as the time can be made up easily.

But the union has threatened further action if its pay demand is not met.

Today's strike will also paralyse public transport and ports throughout Greece and some banks will shut.