Pay cut spurs more protests by Spanish public employees
July 17th, 2012 - 12:33 pm ICT by IANSMadrid, July 17 (IANS/EFE) Protests by public employees against the Spanish government’s decision to cut their pay as part of a new austerity package continued here Monday.
Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s cabinet agreed last Friday to implement the initiative, which eliminates the traditional Christmas bonus for public employees, increases value added tax and reduces unemployment benefits, among other steps.
Spain’s fourth austerity package in seven months is aimed at achieving 65 billion euros ($80 billion) in savings to meet a European Union-mandated budget deficit target, the conservative premier said last Wednesday in an address to parliament.
Civil servants, who accepted a 5 percent pay cut under the 2008-11 Socialist government, launched protests the day after Rajoy’s speech to lawmakers and thousands of public employees have taken to the streets of the capital since then.
Monday’s demonstrations included a mock funeral march down Madrid’s Gran Via to mourn the “death” of labor rights and public services with placards and T-shirts bearing slogans such as “This is a robbery”, and “More firefighters, fewer political appointees”.
The procession ended outside city hall and the lower house of Parliament, both under heavy police guard.
On Sunday, police prevented some 200 public employees from attempting to mount an occupation in front of parliament.
Spain’s economy has been battered in recent years by the global recession and the collapse of a massive real-estate bubble, which has left many banks saddled with toxic property assets.
Overall unemployment stands at more than 24 percent, while Spain’s young people are facing a jobless rate of 50 percent.
–IANS/EFE
rd
- Spanish royals cut their own pay - Jul 18, 2012
- 15 arrested in anti-austerity protests in Spain - Jul 21, 2012
- Spain's risk premium hits euro-era record - Jul 20, 2012
- Spain to trim another $80 bn with new austerity measures - Jul 12, 2012
- Spanish government approves austerity package - Jul 14, 2012
- Finland expects tough loan collateral talks with Spain - Jul 06, 2012
- Spain's unemployment rate edges up - Jul 28, 2012
- Thousands protest in Spain to defend health care, education - Apr 30, 2012
- Spain faces recession, growing unemployment in 2012 - Mar 03, 2012
- Spanish economy expected to shrink in 2012 - Jan 24, 2012
- Spanish banks' bad loans ratio highest since 1994 - Feb 18, 2012
- EU must be more decisive to protect euro: Spain, France - Aug 31, 2012
- Spanish government approves `bad bank' for toxic assets - Sep 01, 2012
- Spain unveils new rules to shore up banking sector - Feb 03, 2012
- Spain's PM-elect vows to slash deficit, boost pensions - Dec 20, 2011
Tags: austerity, budget deficit, christmas bonus, civil servants, deficit target, efe, global recession, house of parliament, jobless rate, mariano rajoy, placards, police guard, political appointees, property assets, real estate bubble, seven months, socialist government, spanish government, traditional christmas, unemployment benefits