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ATHENS, Greece (CNN) -- Riot police fired tear gas Tuesday to disperse rock-throwing youths amid a nationwide general strike that brought air, rail and ferry traffic to a halt in Greece.

A protester runs for cover after police fire tear gas during a demonstration in central Athens.

The strike over the government's economic reforms affected both the public and private sector and grounded all flights to and from Greece, forcing the state air carrier, Olympic Airlines, to cancel 75 flights.

The company's smaller rival, Aegean Airlines, suspended 23 flights, aggravating hundreds of travelers at the country's main international airport.

The nationwide walkout by millions of workers also crippled urban, rail and sea transport and kept schools, banks and public offices shut. State hospitals and utilities, including the partially privatized OTE telecom company, operated on skeleton staff while journalists staged a media blackout.

Thousands of people marched through Athens in two separate demonstrations, according to The Associated Press.

The first march of 15,000 protesters was calm but AP reported that clashes erupted on the second march between riot police and youths throwing missiles at store windows.

Police responded with tear gas, forcing demonstrators to flee. There were no reports of injuries.

The GSEE private sector union federation and its public sector counterpart ADEDY organized the strike. Both unions represent about half the country's workforce of 5 million.

The strike marks the latest show of swelling labor unrest against unpopular economic and social reforms by the center-right government.

It also comes days before parliament debates the 2009 state budget, which union leaders say fails to ensure worker protection from privatization, pension reforms, and a fresh raft of tax collection measures.

"The government must change its ways," said Stathis Anestis, a spokesman for the powerful GSEE. "We will continue if they persist and we will intensify our struggle with more strikes."

Last month, the government unveiled plans to sell off the money-losing Olympic Airlines, and the global financial crisis has forced Greece to cut ambitious macroeconomic targets despite a projected GDP growth of about 3 percent - above the average for countries using the euro.

Flagging revenues forced the government to impose new taxes on capital gains and the self-employed earlier this year, and also to intensify plans to privatize ailing state companies.

Union leaders say those prospects could spell sweeping job losses and drag millions more into poverty. Government figures show one in five Greek workers already lives below the poverty line.

Greek Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis won reelection last year, promising to push ahead with key social and economic reforms while shielding workers from massive layoffs.

Despite the assurances, the government's popularity has plummeted amid allegations of cronyism and corruption that have given rise to speculation of a widespread cabinet reshuffle as early as next week.

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