Athens, November 27 (RHC)-- Thousands of Greek pensioners have held rallies across the country to protest against the government’s planned pension cuts demanded by international lenders under the cash-strapped country's third bailout package.

On Thursday, more than 2,000 pensioners marched through central Athens to protest pension cuts and changes to social security contained in Greece's budget plan for 2016.

Similar massive protest rallies also took place in more than a dozen other Greek cities and towns against the government’s planned pension reforms. The angry demonstrators held placards and chanted anti austerity slogans during the protest rallies.

The demonstrations come as Greece's biggest public and private sector unions, representing about 2.6 million workers, plan a 24-hour strike against pension reform on December 3rd.

The December 3rd work stoppage will be the second of its kind in Greece the past month.