Athens, Greece Thousands of marchers chanted slogans and unfurled banners in the streets of central Athens Tuesday morning continuing a month of protests against austerity measures.

Police in riot gear set up barricades in front of the Greek Parliament, where lawmakers are set to vote Wednesday on a tough five-year package of tax increases and spending cuts.

A 48-hour general strike kicked off in the early morning hours, hobbling most of Greece's transportation systems, but it also cleared the streets and freed up workers to participate in demonstrations.

Members of the communist PAME labor union took to the streets first, waving socialist signs in front of the Greek Parliament.

Cloth banners reading "No sacrifices for plutocracy" flapped in chorus with chants of: "Workers, you can live without a boss," and "We want workers' rights not profits for the boss!"

The main rally -- a cooperative effort between two much larger, mainstream unions -- launched closer to noon in central Athens with plans to join the much smaller PAME union at the Parliament.

Government offices, schools and courts have closed, the unions said. Hospitals are operating on a skeleton staff, according to Greek state television broadcaster ERT. Transportation disruptions are planned on land, on sea and in the air.

Air traffic controllers will periodically stop work and flight traffic, according to their union. And the seamen's federation unions, members of the communist PAME, plan work stoppages that are expected to disrupt sea travel in the maritime nation, which encompasses many islands.

Train and municipal transportation have also shut down, but Athens metro workers are abstaining from the strike, according to the country's transportation union.

Train operators will provide continuous service to demonstrators headed for central Athens. But bus drivers are on strike, keeping city buses off of Athens' streets.

Greece must pass the austerity measures, if it is to win the last $17-billion portion of a $156 billion bailout package from other European nations that was granted in 2010 -- and also to clear the way for an additional potential bailout package to keep Greece afloat going forward.

Protesters lament that the cuts are being carried out on the backs of those who can afford it least.

"With the policy followed since the bailout, we have seen people's living standards going down. It is the workers and the pensioners who are paying the debt," said electrical engineer Ioanna Lagonika.

Lagonika, who marched in PAME's demonstration said, "The PM (prime minister) has said that this is a new start for Greece, but to us it feels like this is our end."

Accountant Pericles Panagakis, who also participated in the communists' march, would rather see Greece go through bankruptcy. The austerity programs mean "even tougher measures for the people and just for the people," he said.

Panagakis would also like to see Greece's wealthiest make up for the government shortfalls. "The solution is to take the money from people who have money, not from the workers," he said.

The parliamentary vote, which comes a day later than originally planned, will be followed by a meeting of European Union finance ministers on July 3 to approve the final part of funding from last year's bailout.

Greece needs bailout disbursements to avert a default on debt repayments that are due as soon as mid-July.

Such a default would send shock waves through the European banking sector and potentially dent global economic confidence.

International lenders have insisted Greece cut spending, lay off public workers, raise taxes and raise 50 billion euros ($71 billion) through selling off state-owned enterprises in exchange for a further bailout of the cash-strapped nation.

The latest demands follow austerity measures imposed last year that included pension cuts; a sales tax boost; excise taxes on fuel, cigarettes, alcohol and luxury goods; and a rise in the average retirement age to 65 from 61.

The economic crisis has inspired rioting in the streets of Athens in recent weeks, where protesters have thrown firebombs and clashed with armored police.The Parliament plans to vote on the austerity package sometime after 1 p.m. Wednesday. All three unions that marched Tuesday have also planned rallies for Wednesday evening.CNN's Elinda Labropoulou contributed to this report.

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