Athens  - Strikes by union groups upset by Greek government privatisation plans and pension reforms disrupted air transport and state services on Thursday.

Ships remain anchored at the ports of Pireaus near Athens and in the northern port city of Thessaloniki and state carrier Olympic Airlines cancelled 20 flights and rescheduled another 14.

Greek private company Aegean also cancelled 28 flights as air traffic controllers will hold a four-hour walkout.

The strike by dock workers who fear the privatisation of the nation's ports will lead to job cuts has also been backed by workers at post offices, banks, the Hydro Company, Athens Water Company and hospital employees, where workers will also hold work stoppages.

Greece has been hit by back-to-back strikes over the past few months, putting the country in an economic crisis.

Union are angry over recent privatisation deals, including the deal reached by the state telecommunications company, OTE, with Germany's Deutsche Telekom as well as pension reforms and high consumer prices.

Work stoppages by the country's public power corporation have caused energy cuts while dockers' refusal to work overtime has led to a pile up of containers in the ports of Pireaus and Thessaloniki.

Greeks have been forced to queue in huge lines outside petrol stations as a ten-day protest by fuel tanker drivers has disrupted transport and goods supplies across Greece. (dpa)