What's the strike all about?

(Photo: AP)

Tomorrow's General Strike is against the Reformas Laborales (Labour Reforms) set out by the new PP government. There are many details, but the cutbacks are expected to scythe through the entire working population, in private and public entities. Briefly, it is much easier now to hire and fire, cut wages, force early retirement, etc. The reform is not as drastic as in Greece, but closer to Britain's (i.e. mainly benefiting business). The byword for strikers is akin to "What happens to the Welfare State?" There is as yet no answer.

How will tomorrow's General Strike affect you?

In case you'd forgotten, there is a General Strike called for tomorrow, Thursday, March 29, beginning at midnight tonight. So, you ask, how will it affect me? In general, most offices and businesses are open, though some may be at minimal staff level. The following is an attempt at warning you of possible consequences: Schools: Your child should have a notice from his/her teacher advising him/her (or you) of the fact that the teacher may or may not turn up for work. In any case the school is open for business, though there may only be a skeleton staff on duty. Universities: Probably not worth going to class, as trouble is expected as usual. Hospitals/Medical Centres: Staff are expected to back strike as cutbacks will impact here particularly. Expect skeleton nursing and administrative staff, but not particularly from doctors and specialists. Shops: they are all open, though smaller ones in larger towns and cities may choose to close because of pickets. Banks/Post Offices: open as usual with just a few on strike if at all. Airports: open but probably understaffed, so expect delays. Public Transport: Minimally staffed, expect delays. Petrol stations: open for business as usual. No regional trains or buses will be operating. PICKETS & DEMOS: These may be present just about anywhere (e.g. the Frontier in La Línea, in front of the larger stores such as Carrefour), so be prepared for delays. If you choose to cross the picket line, which you are free to do, expect abuse. Just be careful.

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General strike called for March 29

Union special magazine, this morning

Labour reforms 'suicidal, say unions

SPAIN (Agencies) The two major unions, Comisiones Obreras (CC.OO.) and Unión General de Trabajadores (UGT) yesterday announced they are calling a General Strike on March 29. The date coincides with nationalist unions in the Basque Country and Navarre, as well as being the day before the Budget. The strike is called in protest against the severe labour reform the PP Government has approved unilaterally thanks to its absolute majority in Parliament. The unions call them "the most regressive" since the first elections in democracy, in 1977. They accuse the government of destroying the "social architecture", adding that no government has done so much to break down the rights of workers in such a short time. Far from "correcting the failures of the previous PSOE government," says a joint communiqué, the labour reforms "are suicidal" and might well be unconstitutional. This is the sixth general strike to be held in the democracy that came after the Franco era. It is as well to remember, too, that the last one was called last September but was widely seen a a failure. Also, the unions are heavily subsidised by the government, which has caused much controversy inside and outside of their structure - there have been many complaints about the large salaries paid to many union leaders.

Are the pickets gone? Can I come out now?

We use this great photo by Paco Vera that we saw on TioJimeno, to tell you that you can find out more about the general strike on CampoPulse. There's bound to be a lot more there you haven't seen and we haven't had time to put up on the sidebar here - hey, we were on strike yesterday, didn't you notice?

The reasons for the strike, by Izquierda Unida

SPAIN (Press release from IU) Just a year ago, when the world's leaders were intoning a 'mea culpa' about the crisis and talking about re-defining capitalism, nobody believed what was about to happen to us. Salary cuts, pension freezes, cheaper redundancies, postponement of retirement age, weakening of collective negotiations, co-payment of public services, attacks on unions ... it resembles a financial adjustment by the 'Chicago Boys' as applied by Reagan, Thatcher or Pinochet from a governemnt that still calls itself 'socialist. The fact is that Zapatero is applying the Right's economic plan, point by point, in a version that is even harder than that of the rest of Europe.  We are confronted by a 'change in civilization' that is very far from the fundamental principles of a democratic, social State. The advances conquered by decades of struggle in terms of social and working rights have now become anathemised as the 'priviliges' of a minority to be exterminated in the name of 'modernization'; the aim is to end the 'dualization of the labour market' by making us all equal in the precariousness of our work. Indeed, the very essence of democracy is in question when Zapatero bows to Wall Street or the Financial Times before he bows to Parliament, following the dictates of the market instead of the manifesto his voters trusted him to follow. 

 

Almost no-one dares deny the evidence: labour reform is centered mainly on making redundancies easier, cheaper and subsidised. The term today is 'de-contracting'. Even the Minister of Labour recognizes that the changes will not create a single job.  The changes come as follows: first, salary cuts and pension freezes, after that later retirement. They are meant to satisfy those who have speculated with the country's debt. In practice, we are hostages to those who caused the recession: those who, having become richer through speculation, were rescued by public funds and now set a pace that only favours them directly.  With the above in mind, the workers have the need -and the moral obligation- to respond, to stop our children from losing the benefits their parents fought so hard to obtain. A General Strike can be the only possible response, given that Parliament answers not to the people's will but to the dictates of the PSOE and PP party disciplines, that shares the financial recipes of neo-liberalism.  General Strikes have happened before for fewer reasons, and this country's working class was able to stop other labour reforms. If we could put a stop to Aznar's, we can do the same with Zapatero's.  "The only fight that is lost, is that that is abandoned."

How will tomorrow's GENERAL STRIKE affect you? (2)

FROM CAMPOPULSE Further to our previous item on the subject, we have spent the morning finding out what to expect at a local level. After many phone calls around the Campo we have come to the conclusion that at least minimum services will be on duty just about everywhere, as is the law. In our previous item we generalised about such items as transport, etc. This time, we've broken down expectations into the services themselves:

• Schools: The teachers' unions tendto be fairly militant, especially at the Instituto level, but schools, colleges and university campuses are all open. Individual scheduled classes may be affected.
• Ayuntamientos (Town Halls): They are all open but we were unable to establish how militant they all are. In any case, remember that the government measures against which is the strike, includes pay freezes for all public employees (civil servants). Leave whatever it is until Thursday.>
  
  
  

Several reasons for a General Strike in Spain

We have been asked several times over the last few days about the reasons for a General Strike, scheduled for September 29 (tomorrow week). There are numerous reasons -and lots of consequences- but we received an e-mail from Izquierda Unida with a link to a YouTube movie that explains it well, albeit in Spanish. Equally, we might as well announce here that we have every intention of not working that day. In fact, we have that intention every day, but this time we will have an excuse. (This item also appears on CampoPulse)

General strike approaches

As we write, Spain's unions are holding meetings in various parts of the country, in villages, towns and cities, to foment backing for the General Strike they announced in June. Indeed, the loudspeakers were out this morning in Jimena, at a somewhat wet market. The strike is scheduled for September 29 and will affect the entire country, as might be expected. There is much support for it, according to the unions, and not much, according to just about anyone else. Whoever is right, it is certain to impact on  travel and transport, for instance, and a lot more. The reason we mention these two in particular is because it might be worth reminding our readers to warn anyone they know who might have planned to come or go to the country. Naturally, many other things will probably be affected, such as shopping, or banking, or ... whatever. There is an old Spanish saying: El que avisa no es traidor (he who warns is no traitor - or, 'fore warned is fore armed'.

Unions announce general strike

The two main Spanish unions, Comisiones Obreras (CC.OO.) and Unión General de Trabajadores (UGT), have announced that there will be calling a general strike. The date is to be announced in a joint statement by the two unions tomorrow. Meanwhile, Confederación Española de Organizaciones Empresariales (CEOE, the equivalent of Britain's CBI), has said that a general strike will hamper recovery, and has called the unions to "push in the right direction." There have been five general strikes in Spain since the advent of democracy in 1978: in 1985, 1988, 1994 and 2002.