Argentina paralysed

Public transport has ground to a halt

Argentina has been brought to a standstill by a general strike, with the country's largest labour union joining its second day.

Schools are closed, hospitals are offering only emergency services and no public transport is working.

The capital, Buenos Aires, was experiencing about the same level of activity as a normal Sunday.

President de la Rua: Economic reforms are essential

The 36-hour stoppage began at midday on Thursday, with the support of two important workers' confederations, and thousands of people walking out of their jobs.

Unions called the strike - the third major one in a year - to protest against President Fernando de la Rua's economic policies.

Austerity measures are being introduced as a condition for a $20bn aid package from the International Monetary Fund.

Argentina's recession is the worst in a decade with more than 15% unemployment.

Government warning

The first day of the strike ended without any serious incidents.

Thousands walked off their jobs on Thursday

The impact of the strike was harder on Friday, with Argentina's largest union, the General Workers' Federation, joining the stoppages.

Tens of thousands of workers from the health, energy and banking sectors have now gone on strike.

The government has warned strikers that if there is violence or if they set up barricades to cut transport, then the strike will be declared illegal.

But so far there have been no reports of serious disturbances and the government appears to be backing off from the threat.

Necessary measures

The workers are angry about government plans for further cuts in public spending and tax increases.

President de la Rua has proposed a five-year spending freeze and reductions in state pensions.

He has already implemented an austerity package that includes tax increases and salary reductions for the public sector.

The government says the measures are necessary to secure essential loans from the IMF and allay concerns within the financial markets.

But BBC correspondent Tom Gibb says that with no end in sight to severe economic depression, this is unlikely to be the last such protest.