Europe's workers stage austerity protests
Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AP)
BRUSSELS —
Workers across the European Union sought to present a united front against rampant unemployment and government spending cuts Wednesday with a string of strikes and demonstrations across the region.
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"There is a social emergency in the south," said Bernadette Segol, Secretary General of the European Trade Union Confederation. "All recognize that the policies carried out now are unfair and not working."
Spain's General Workers' Union said the nationwide stoppage the second this year, was being observed by nearly all workers in the automobile, energy, shipbuilding and constructions industries. The country, left reeling by a series of austerity measures designed to prevent it from asking for a full-blown international bailout, mired in recession with 50 percent unemployment among the under-25s.
"Of course it's a political strike, against the policies of a suicidal and anti-social government," said Ignacio Fernandez Toxo, a CCOO Spanish union leader.
Read more: http://www.ajc.com/ap/ap/labor/spain-says-32-arrested-as-general-strike-begins/nS58J/
Much more at link...
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Workers from Telefonica phone company take part in a demonstration blocking the traffic and protesting against the unjustified dismissals at their company ahead of a general strike in Barcelona, Nov. 13, 2012.
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Madrid, Spain
Madrid, Spain
In case you missed it, the "Occupy Congress"-demonstration on the 25th of September and several following days were huge as well. Students and teachers have been out in the hundreds of thousands too, and held a three-day school strike which was pretty universally followed.
It really isn't stopping there. But looking at the police response, and with laws planned to curb spontaneous demonstrations, it doesn't look like the government plans to listen, rather to repress.
I can also tell you that it isn't just in the US that the protest in southern Europe is strongly underreported. Our mainstream media has been eerily quiet as well - lest we get ideas, or more likely, see what's coming. Nowadays, when I wonder what really is up, I go check out Al-Jazeera and local newspapers.
I get the feeling that people are kind of waking up / not taking further neoliberalism and fake democracy in many many countries, but we will only stand a chance if we unite. The powers we are up against have globalised since decades - but on Europe's anti-austerity day, there was very little action in the north. Seems we think we can ride it out... Belgium has the north/south divide running through its country, and we had a total rail strike in the southern walloon region, whereas the northern flanders region had only symbolic actions and half-hearted lip service.
power to the people indeed!
