Unions representing workers in all of the greater Athens area’s mass transit systems – buses, metro, electric train and tram network – have called a 24-hour strike for Wednesday, joining a general strike by the Athens Labor Center (EKA) in protest of a draft law affecting state utilities, which is expected to come up for vote at a Parliament plenary session the same day.

Union leaders claim the bill will lead to a privatization of urban mass transit systems and abolish workers’ vested rights.

A rally is set for noon in front of the finance ministry in downtown Athens.