Other groups held separate protests.
About 30 disabled athletes, including Paralymic medalists, gathered outside the Culture Ministry, accusing the Socialist government of slashing funding for sports involving people with special needs.
About 250 retired military officers demonstrated outside the Defense Ministry against pension cuts and health care reforms.
In the main demonstration, protesters marched through the center of the capital to the Finance Ministry carrying banners with slogans such as "No layoffs. Write off the debt," and "This is far enough, we can't take any more."
The march was organized by umbrella groups representing public and private sector workers, who also organized a three-hour work stoppage in the capital that disrupted public transport and state sector services such as tax offices. State television suspended their broadcasts during the stoppage.
Seamen, who have been on strike since Tuesday, announced they would stay off the job until Sunday morning, leaving Greek islands without ferry services for a week. The strike had been scheduled to end Friday.
Labor unions say the austerity measures lay an unfair burden on workers as the country faces recession and rising unemployment. But turnout at Thursday's march was very low compared to protests earlier this year in which tens of thousands took part, and which were often marred by clashes between protesters and riot police.
Greece only avoided bankruptcy in May after its European partners and the International Monetary Fund approved a total euro110 billion ($150 billion) in rescue loans over the next three years. In return, the Socialist government slashed pensions and salaries, hiked taxes and facilitated private sector layoffs and wage cuts.
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