Revolting Europe
cuts
Five things you should know about Spain’s bank rescue
The size and the impact of Spain’s humongous bank bail that came in the wake of the 2007-2008 final crisis – caused by the out of control financial sector, including in Spain – is being concealed. Here’s what you should know about it in five points: 1. Losses to the Spanish people from the public rescues … Continue reading
France’s culture workers protest cuts
Performing artists turned out on Monday in Paris and in several other cities in France to protest budget cuts that threaten the future of many theatre companies and other cultural establishments, as well as access to culture from disadvantaged groups in society, Humanite newspaper reports . “We’re a thousand this afternoon in Paris. There were 100 this … Continue reading
Why Spain’s teachers and students are striking
Javier López* The crisis is having a devastating impact on essential public services such as education. Until 2009 the public expenditure on education was approaching the European average, reaching 5.1 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). Since then central and regional government have been brutally cutting their education budgets, leading to a 30.5 percent drop … Continue reading
From Cyprus to Italy: nothing to laugh about
By Alessandro Robecchi ‘In our country, the most common form of recklessness is to laugh, considering absurd things, that then happen.’ Of all the sayings of Ennio Flaiano this is perhaps the most frightening and also, unfortunately, the truest. Every ‘absurd’ case generates palpitations – and what if it really happens? So it is better … Continue reading
Spanish students take to streets against austerity cuts
Spain’s university students are protesting Thursday to demand an end to cuts and rising fees, and the head of the country’s education minister. A strike has been called for all public universities in Madrid while demonstrations are planned in Barcelona, Sevilla, Zaragoza and Granada. The action, which is also about staff cuts, was called by … Continue reading
Spain’s students and their families turn up heat on Rajoy
Rising student fees, regressive education reforms, a €4 billion cut to state education and the firing of thousands of teachers are set to be contested by students and their families as they step up protests in the coming week. Until now, it has been the teachers who have been leading the defence of state education, … Continue reading
Spanish firefighters strip over austerity cuts
Spanish firefighters stripped naked Thursday morning to highlight their opposition to cuts. Eight firefighters were involved in the protest in the town of Mieres, Asturias, at eight o’clock, when their shift changed. The action was also in support of all public administration employees who face swinging cuts, or recortes, to pay and benefits, as part … Continue reading
Portugal: health service cuts spark vigils, protests
Cuts to emergency services and health centres has been met with outrage by medical associations and the public who have staged vigils and protests to show their opposition The most recent focus of anger was the Hospital dos Covões in the municipality of Coimbra in the centre of the country, whose emergency health centre has … Continue reading
Radical left and anti-austerity candidates triumph in Italy’s second round mayoral elections.
Radical left and anti -austerity candidates won Monday in Genoa, Palermo and Parma in the second round run off mayoral elections in Italy. Genoa In Genoa, Marco Doria, a left academic and son of veteran communist Giorgio Doria, the ‘red marquis’, was victorious. Following in his father’s footsteps, Doria joined the Italian Communist Party (PCI) in his youth, … Continue reading
Fresh protests in Catalonia as austerity threatens disabled workers
Thousands of people participated in a protest Saturday in Barcelona against a 50% cut in public funding that encourages the employment of disabled people. The event, organized by disability rights’ campaign groups, was supported by almost all Catalan political parties and trade unions, and even included Minister for Social Welfare and Family, Josep Lluís Cleries, … Continue reading
Spanish unions kick off campaign to stop health cuts
Spanish unions kicked off a rolling programme of protest actions on Thursday to highlight an accelerating health emergency in the country. The actions by healthworkers, which are designed not to disrupt services to patients, will kick off in Madrid and then roll out across the country. The right wing government of Mariano Rajoy recently unveiled a €7 … Continue reading
Creeping privatisation in the French health system
On austerity and a brewing health ‘catastrophy’ in Toulouse. Read this article in Humanite
Portugal: Protests held over health service cuts
Health service users and workers protested in 13 Portuguese cities against cuts and new user charges introduced by the right wing government of Pedro Passos Coelho. Protests started late Friday in the southern Algarve region and rolled out across the country, including the capital Lisbon, throughout Saturday. Organised by the CGTP trade union central and … Continue reading
Italians pay out billions to fight sickness as public health system cuts bite
Italians are being forced to fork out billions to pay for their healthcare as a result of cuts and new user charges imposed on the country’s public health service – and the problem is set to deteriorate further when €4 billion of new charges are introduced. Italians spent €30.6 billion over the period 2007-2010, an … Continue reading
Mass protests continue in Spain
Spain saw more mass demonstrations on Saturday afternoon in the three main cities of the Valencia region as people protested against austerity measures implemented by the Popular Party regional Government. There were also mass protests in Bilbao. Unions said 200,000 assembled in the city of Valencia, while 60,000 amassed in Alicante and 30,000 in Castellón. … Continue reading
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