Spanish workers ready to fight ‘savage cuts’

[Joanne98]

by Luke Stobart

Spanish workers could be the next group marching onto Europe’s battleground as public sector unions plan to strike against austerity measures on 8 June.

Workers in Spain have been among the hardest hit by the economic crisis.

Over a million and a half have lost their jobs in the last few years – leaving one in five people on the dole.

In response to the crisis, the Labour-like PSOE government initially took a different approach to most governments.

Prime minister José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said he would “never make workers pay for the crisis”.

He invested in public works projects to employ half a million unemployed builders.

But his party has often taken sides with the bosses against workers. The PSOE created a more “flexible” workforce when it was in office in the 1980s and 1990s.

Now four out of five young workers are on fixed term contracts, leading to a life of insecurity.

Zapatero came to office on a wave of protests against the previous right wing government. Until now he has avoided open confrontation with the working class.

This has changed.

http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=21276

[marmar]

1. Is Madrid the next Athens?

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