*The main issue for us at the moment is that our contracts are up in the air,* Vangelis Delipetros, special general-secretary of Athens journalists' union ESHEA, told Reuters.

*We want respectable pay and labour contracts.*

The only exceptions to the nationwide strike were journalists working for the state television and radio broadcaster, the Alter private television channel and northern Greek newspaper Macedonia, who have all reached agreement on their contracts.

The semi-official Athens News Agency issued a statement asking clients for understanding.

The unions want a revision of laws covering mass lay-offs and dismissal compensation.

They also want collective wage agreements and are opposed to a code of conduct being drafted by the government, saying this should be done by journalists themselves.

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