Thousands of teachers, health care workers, trash collectors and others walked off their jobs across Italy on Friday to protest a decline in spending power, persistently low salaries and government policies they say have weakened public services.

The strike forced ITA airlines to cancel dozens of domestic and international flights, and hit schools, hospitals and local transport.

Whenever the trade union bureaucracy call a general strike in Greece, it is a sure sign that they fear an escalation of the class struggle which could spiral out of their control.

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