ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- Greece's unemployment rate surged to 24.4 percent in June, according to official figures Thursday, as protests continued against a massive new austerity package, with police blocking their colleagues from starting work.
The Greek Statistical Authority said the number of people out of work in June rose by 34,000 to more than 1.2 million. The jobless rate was up from 23.5 percent in May and 17.2 percent the previous year.