IN BRIEF / SPAIN
The new Spanish government’s plan to lengthen the working week in the public sector will add 12,000 to the jobless queues in Madrid alone, says the UGT trade union confederation.
The job losses in the capital will be caused by the posts eliminated by increasing the working week for public sector workers from 35 hours to 37.5 hours a week.
The public services federation of the UGT said that of the 12,000 jobs lost, 5,000 would be in health services as stressed staff in hospitals add to their working day.
Regina Plañiol, a councillor for the Madrid administration, run by the same right-wing Popular Party that since November’s elections is now also in power at a national level, has said that public servants worked “little and badly”.
Spain has Europe’s longest job queues, whose 8 point rise last year to 22.2% or over 4.4 million, has sent the economy back into recession in 2012.
Europa Press