SPAIN: Country's first general strike in eight years expected to cause transport chaos but unlikely to force the government to reconsider austerity plans

Record ID: 339732

  • Title: SPAIN: Country's first general strike in eight years expected to cause transport chaos but unlikely to force the government to reconsider austerity plans
  • Date: 28th September 2010
  • Summary: MADRID, SPAIN (FILE - SEPTEMBER 10, 2010) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) JOSE LUIS RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO, SPANISH PRIME MINISTER, SAYING: "The agenda of reforms will be honoured... the economy and the Spanish labour market need change and it needs to be done now, otherwise we will not come out of this economic recovery with strength... we must make sacrifices today because
  • Embargoed: 13th October 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Spain
  • Country: Spain
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA5U87V8TKWI2SMKB9LYY41H2NT
  • Story Text: Spain's first general strike in eight years is expected to cause transport chaos but is unlikely to force the government to back-peddle on labour reforms unions are protesting against.
    Spaniards are bracing for transport disruption in a general strike called for Wednesday (September 29), but the walk-out will not be big enough for the Socialist government to reconsider austerity plans.
    Just 9 percent of Spain's workers, according to a poll in El Pais newspaper published on Friday (September 24), definitely plan to walk off the job on September 29, which will not be enough to create a political crisis for the government.
    Spain's two main labour groups, the UGT and CCOO, have called the first general strike in eight years to protest against spending cuts the government says are needed to convey concerns the country could slide into a debt crisis that would threaten the unified euro currency. They hope to tap into the discontent over Prime Minster Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's reform to the labour market which makes hiring and firing cheaper and plans to delay retirement to 67 from 65 years of age.
    UGT Secretary of Union Action Toni Ferrer, however, said the strike will be a success.
    "Recently the strike in France was hailed as a success. Everyone talked about two million, two and half million, around three (million)," said Ferrer. "Predictions in Spain point to a bigger success than in France." But he added that regardless, politicians and the media would paint Wednesday's stoppage as a failure. The unions were ready for that, he said.
    The CCOO and UGT, the two largest unions in Spain, together represent 2.4 million of Spain's 23 million workers, but their credibility has been battered after years of supporting the socialist government. Some teachers and doctors' unions have said they are not joining the strike, despite the cuts in their sectors.
    "Over recent years these unions have favoured the government, they've passed little criticism, they haven't demanded necessary changes, they haven't provided proposals or alternatives to force the government to make budget adjustments earlier," Nicolas Fernandez Guisado, president of the Independent Public Education Teachers Union (INPE) said, said referring to the UGT and CCOO, which he accuses of orchestrating a largely political strike and proposing no alternatives.
    With one in five people out of work in Spain, the majority view the strike as justified and the turnout could get a boost from workers put off from facing public transport chaos. Transport is heavily unorganised in Spain, but unions have agreed to maintain 20-40 percent of international flights. Travellers, however, are expected to face delays and cancellations.
    The strike in Spain comes on the heels of protests against austerity measures and pension reform in France and Greece, as governments around Europe impose post-recession budget trimming.
    Analysts, however, predict Wednesday's action will not have the impact or drama that demonstrations in Greece and France have had, with some analysts saying the strike is symbolic rather than a sign of sustained anger that could force policy change.
    "On the whole, what does it mean to stop for a day? Alright, you stop for a day and then you go back to work. It's a sort of gesture, rather than real opposition you've had in Greece, or you've had in France," said Professor Pedro Schwarz of the San Pablo - CEU University in Madrid. "It's not going to be a violent strike therefore people will stop and the government will have to proceed with its measures because, if they don't, then they will not be able to borrow abroad."
    Turnout was poor at a June strike of Spain's government employees, whose salaries will be cut by 5 percent. Workers see cuts as inevitable after fellow EU-leaders pressured Zapatero to reduce the deficit.
    There is potential for tension, however, in northern and northwestern Spain where coal miners have been protesting for weeks over unpaid wages. Their subsidised sector is under threat from European Union rules on free trade and the environment.
    The government has said it will not be forced into any U-turns in its commitment to bringing its deficit down to the EU target of 3 percent by 2013.
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