Greek unions call for 48-hour general strike

Greece’s two main labor unions covering civil servants and the private sector have called for a 48-hour strike to protest austerity measures due to be voted on next week. The unions said in a statement that the strike on Nov. 6-7 will be accompanied by demonstrations in central Athens on both days. Previous such protests have turned violent. The strike call came as the finance minister submitted an amended 2013 budget that raised the country’s debt and deficit forecasts for next year. It also came as lawmakers approved a privatization bill in a fractious vote that saw dissent from members of the two junior partners in the three-party governing coalition.