The people of Spain are furious about the austerity their government imposed on them (and that Paul Ryan is trying to impose on us).
Hard to blame them. Their unemployment rate is 23 percent, and somehow the solution to that is to take away workers' rights. The Spanish workers' answer: a rock 'em, sock 'em 24-hour general strike on Thursday.
As Expatica reported,
Recession-hit Spaniards staged a 24-hour general strike and took to the streets Thursday in anger over labour reforms, austerity cuts and soaring unemployment.
Carrying placards declaring "Work Reform, No", unions picketed businesses, wholesale markets, industry, banks and public transport hubs as police deployed in heavy numbers.
Workers walked out a day before ministers adopt a 2012 budget set to axe tens of billions of euros more in spending, adding to cuts that have already squeezed public services...
Spain's major CCOO and UGT unions called the strike over the right-leaning government's February 11 labour reform which makes it cheaper to lay off staff and easier to cut salaries.
They plan protests in 100 towns and cities.
"If they don't go back on the reform there will be a growing social conflict until they fix it," said CCOO general secretary Ignacio Fernandez Toxo, warning of a new show of force on May 1.
Minimum service agreements kept schools and hospitals open, ensured that 20-30 percent of trains and buses ran, and allowed some planes to fly despite Iberia, Air Nostrum and Vueling cancelling two-thirds of flights.The Guardian has amazing photos here.
