Greek labor unions launched a new round of anti-austerity protests on Wednesday, a day after the reshuffled two-partite coalition government was sworn in.

Seamen walked off their jobs at ports nationwide for seven hours and demonstrated against plans for port privatizations.

Trolley bus drivers held a similar five-hour work stoppage to hold general assemblies to decide on their future industrial actions against the austerity and reform program implemented to counter the debt crisis.

The union of tax office employees meanwhile has called for a 48-hour strike on Thursday and Friday in protest of planned mergers of tax offices in the framework of efforts to reduce public sector expenditure.

"They are selling off profitable ports. We will not allow it," dock workers at Piraeus port chanted on Wednesday during a rally staged by the federation of port employees (OMYLE).

In a press statement, OMYLE claimed that the privatizations of ports "will not support employment and growth, as stated by Greek officials," and called for the continuation of state control over the facilities.

Wednesday's protest was held ahead of Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras' visit to the port scheduled for later on Wednesday for the inauguration of a new pier at Piraeus Container Terminal (PCT) facilities run by a subsidiary of Chinese shipping firm Cosco Pacific Limited since 2009.

During the first meeting of the reshuffled cabinet on Tuesday Samaras reaffirmed his government's determination to proceed with the needed policies to slash deficits and boost development in order to overcome the crisis, including structural reforms and privatizations.

The cabinet reshuffle came following the withdrawal of the Democratic Left party from the ruling coalition last week over the closure of the state broadcaster on June 11 in the context of a wider plan to restructure civil services in Greece.

In order to avert a chaotic default, Greece has since 2010 relied on international bailout financing in exchange for reform measures which have fuelled unemployment, recession and protests.

Greek officials and international creditors stress that the painful program was the only credible way to counter the crisis, arguing that it is already bearing fruits and Greece will restore growth as of next year.