SPAIN: Spaniards say general strike ineffectual

Record ID: 338552

  • Title: SPAIN: Spaniards say general strike ineffectual
  • Date: 1st October 2010
  • Summary: NEWSPAPERS LAID OUT ON DISPLAY FRONT OF DAILY NEWSPAPER "LA RAZON" READING: "TOTAL BORROK FAILURE" FRONT OF DAILY NEWSPAPER "ABC" READING: "TOTAL FAILURE" FRONT OF DAILY NEWSPAPER "EL PAIS" DETAIL OF FRONT OF DAILY NEWSPAPER "EL PAIS" READING: "ZAPATERO WILL KEEP HIS LABOUR REFORM AFTER A STRIKE OF LIMITED EFFECTS" FRONT OF DAILY NEWSPAPER "EL MUNDO" READING: "GENERAL
  • Embargoed: 16th October 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Spain
  • Country: Spain
  • Topics: Employment,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAERNUJE9MQ2QFB80H6SXO2996S
  • Story Text: Spaniards in Madrid said on Thursday (September 30) they did not expect the government to accede to strikers' demands to reverse spending cuts it has introduced in the wake of a budget deficit.
    The two biggest unions, the CCOO and UGT, called the nation's first general strike in eight years on Wednesday (September 29) over the government's austerity measures, labour reform and plans to overhaul state pensions and raise the retirement age to 67 from 65.
    Trade unions said 10 million people, or more than half the workforce, participated in the strike.
    Government officials gave no numbers and played down disruption the strike caused to transport systems and some factories.
    Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, who is due to unveil his 2011 budget plan in parliament on Thursday, has vowed to maintain deep austerity measures and labour reforms that make it easier for companies to hire and fire employees.
    Asked about the consequences of the strike, a woman who gave her name as Pilar said: "I don't think there will be many consequences because the government has said it won't change its position after the labour reform."
    "I imagine everything is about talking and letting things happen. When the necessary opinions are considered and the right decisions are taken to fix all this, I guess things will turn out right," a man who gave his name as Alberto said.
    Spain's economy is emerging sluggishly from a deep recession, and the unions are much weaker than they were 20 years ago, representing about 16 percent of workers.
    "It was a disaster. Unions haven't done anything. They should have done this two or three years ago to not reach the situation in which we are now," a man who gave his name as Pablo said.
    Many newspaper headlines called Wednesday's strike a "failure".
    The strike in Spain coincided with union action in Brussels, Athens and other European cities as austerity measures bite across the continent.
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