Spain: Ten million workers take part in general strike

[Panaconda]

Spain: Ten million workers take part in general strike
By Paul Mitchell
30 September 2010

Nearly 70 percent of Spanish workers—10 million—took part in Wednesday’s general strike. In some sectors, such as mining, metal, auto manufacture, electronic, fishing and other industries, participation was nearly 100 percent. The movement also encompassed many self-employed workers and small businesses.

Although the government tried to downplay the effects of the strike, the national grid operator Red Electrica Corp. said that electricity consumption was down by 20 percent.

The strike dealt a blow to business leaders, politicians and the media who claimed it would not be well supported. But without the minimum service levels agreed by the unions, which allowed the government and local authorities to determine how many airplanes, trains and buses had to be provided, the country would have ground to a complete halt. Union leaders bent over backwards during the day to show that they were complying with minimum service agreements.

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http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/sep2010/spai-s30.shtml