ATHENS — State doctors in Greece extended a strike Wednesday through Dec. 13, after negotiations with the government over job cuts failed.
The government is under pressure from international bailout lenders to make deeper cuts in a sixth year of recession, prompting doctors employed by the country's largest public health insurer to launch strikes last month.
While not affecting emergency care at hospitals, the doctors' protest has led to longer waiting times for regular medical appointments.
Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis said hospitals would increase their workload during the strike.
''If the [unions'] view is that they intend to strike forever, and their approach is all or nothing, our answer is that this government and our society will not tolerate blackmail by any group protecting its interests,'' he said.
Antiausterity strikes have intensified as the government scrambles to meet targets for job cuts and implement other cost-cutting measures.
Athens University, the country's largest, has been closed since the start of the fall semester, also due to cuts in administrative staff.
The latest government attempt to break the deadlock at the university failed on Wednesday.
The government is struggling to finalize a new agreement with international lenders needed to receive continued rescue loan payments.
Negotiators from the European Union and International Monetary Fund postponed a visit to Athens this week, but government officials insisted the process would be concluded by the end of the month.
Greece has already received most of the money expected from its $325 billion bailout package.
But the country must meet cost-cutting targets to qualify for long-term debt relief promised by lenders to make its $435 billion national debt sustainable.