Greek labor unions to strike against pension reform on Feb. 4

[January 15, 2016]  ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek labor unions will stage a 24-hour nationwide strike against the leftist-led government's planned pension reforms demanded by international lenders, a union official told Reuters on Friday.

The walkout against planned cuts in future benefits and increased social security contributions to make the pension system viable, will be a test for Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras's coalition which has a thin parliamentary majority.

Parliament is expected to vote on the pension reform bill early in February, government officials have said.

Participation in the strike, organized by Greece's largest private sector labor union GSEE and its public sector counterpart ADEDY, which together represent about 2 million workers and pensioners, will be crucial.

(Reporting by Renee Maltezou; Editing by George Georgiopoulos)

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