Million on Spanish streets for workers' rights

 

A million workers and their allies marched in cities across Spain today in protest at the new government's drive to strip them of their hard-won labour rights. The country's two main trade unions, CCOO and UGT, organised demonstrations in 57 cities under the slogan: "No to the labour reforms - unfair to workers, ineffective and useless to the economy and for employment." Protesters waving red and white trade union flags turned out in Cordoba in the morning while evening marches were staged in Barcelona, where 400,000 took to the streets, and Seville, Toledo and Valencia. UGTT general secretary Candido Mendez and his CCOO counterpart Ignacio Fernandez Toxo participated in a 500,000-strong demonstration in Madrid. Protesters including members of the "indignant" social protest movement shouted: "Bankers, thieves, give back the millions." On February 11 Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's right-wing government, which took office two months ago, changed labour laws to cut the maximum redundancy pay to 33 days' salary for each year worked from 45 days and capped it at just under 800 days' salary. And employers no longer need prior authorisation to lodge a labour force "adjustment plan," making it easier for them to impose mass layoffs. The regressive reforms also empower Spanish bosses to pull out of collective bargaining agreements and grant them more powers to unilaterally change employees' schedules, workplace tasks and pay. Engineering student Jordi Alsedo said: "It worries me that my generation will have fewer rights than my parents, that we are not going to be able to live as well. "I feel like we are taking steps backwards in Spain and the rest of Europe with this type of reform." Unemployment in Spain has tripled since 2007, and today about 5.2 million people in the country are out of work. The official unemployment rate is running at 23 per cent, and its youth unemployment rate is nearly 50 per cent. Addressing his Popular Party's annual congress in Seville today, Mr Rajoy said: "If we want Spain to grow and create employment, we had to do what we've done." UGTT activist Candido Mendez retorted: "We will continue with an ever-growing mobilisation."

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