General Strike

About two weeks ago I experienced my first general strike. I have never witnessed anything of this sort in the United States. Personally the only effect that the strike had on me was the “minimum service” busses that caused me to be 30 minutes late to my morning class. Being a student studying abroad I had no clue what were the motives behind the strike, and I was very curious to find out. In my research I learned that the main labor organizations in Spain organized the general strike in opposition to the austerity measures and anti-labor reforms implemented this year by President José Zapatero. Some of the main measures include a 5 percent reduction in civil service pay, cuts in pensions, an increase in the retirement age, removal of a paid leave for new parents, and most recently a measure that makes it easier for companies to hire and fire. I learned that the unemployment rate in Spain is currently 1 in 5, so it is easy to understand why Spain’s workers are so upset. According to a poll prior to the strike in El Pais, only 9% of Spanish workers supported the strike. This low rate was shocking to me! According to the newspaper, this low support rate was due to the fact that as time passes more people are feeling that the reforms were inevitable measures the government had to take. The strike seems to have had no immediate effect on the government. Zapatero has stood by all of his previous measures. I find it very interesting that the very left-wing socialist party would be implementing such anti-labor measures which are seemingly leading to unemployment, lower wages and working conditions. I suppose the government did have to make budget cuts in many areas, due to the great deficit.