FACTBOX-Economic storm pounding euro zone brings protests

March 5 (Reuters) - Here are some details on protests in three euro zone countries whose economies are facing severe stress over high debt levels and repayments.

* GREECE - Wildcat strikes hit schools and hospitals and brought public transport in Athens to a halt as a new opinion poll showed stiff opposition to some government austerity measures but also a sense of resignation. [nLDE62413Y]

-- The private sector GSEE union and its sister public sector union ADEDY, which represent half of Greece's 5-million workforce, called on workers to stop work from midday (1000 GMT) on Friday and attend a rally outside parliament. ADEDY has already called a 24-hour stoppage for March 16. -- Greece announced on Wednesday 4.8 billion euros ($6.5 billion) in wage cuts, a pension freeze and tax hikes to tackle its huge fiscal deficit and 300 billion euro ($408 billion) debt pile.

-- Last week flights were grounded and ministries and schools were shut in Greece as civil servants and private sector workers went on a nationwide strike to protest EU-backed austerity measures.

-- The government won a first victory over the unions when farmers abandoned their last blockade empty handed on Feb. 16 and tax officials cancelled a 24-hour planned strike.

* PORTUGAL - Lisbon is scrambling to cut its budget deficit to assure markets it will not be the next weak link in the euro zone after Greece.

-- Portuguese civil servants shut schools, courts and hospitals on Thursday in a strike to protest against austerity measures with unions saying 80 percent took part and the Socialist government putting the figure at 13 percent. [nLDE6230KJ]

-- Civil servants are challenging the government's freeze on their wages this year during a deep economic downturn that has taken unemployment at 10 percent, to its highest in a quarter of a century.

* SPAIN - Only a few tens of thousands of protesters showed up for marches in Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia last week, according to most estimates.

-- The size of the protests, the first by the unions against Socialist Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, was being monitored by investors for signs the government might struggle to contain social anger against the rise in the pension age to 67 from 65 and a 50 billion euro austerity plan.

-- These measures are seen as vital if Spain is to convince markets that it can tame a budget deficit that reached 11.4 percent of gross domestic product in 2009. (For a full story click on [nLDE6240M8]) (Writing by David Cutler, London Editorial Reference Unit;