Revolting Europe
trade unions
Italy’s employers warn Monti of ‘social butchery’
Even some leading employers are flinching at the human cost of the latest austerity measures of Mario Monti’s ‘technocratic’ government. The country’s first UK-style spending review now heading for parliament will see big cuts to health expenditure and to the public-sector workforce as part of a 26 billion euros reduction in expenditure over the next … Continue reading
Italy’s agricultural workers join rebellion against Monti’s reforms
Over 100,000 agricultural workers went on strike for 8 hours across Italy on Friday over the loss of welfare and pension rights resulting from the reforms of the unelected government of Mario Monti. Already 90% of agricultural workers are on fixed term contracts with low wages and the government’s measures will lead to further casualisation … Continue reading
Rally against austerity, labour reforms ‘historic’ say Portuguese communists
Today’s rally against austerity and regressive labour ‘reforms’ in Lisbon was an ‘historic event,’ the biggest in terms of popular support for over 30 years, according to Jerónimo de Sousa, general secretary of the Portuguese Communist Party. The turn-out, estimated at 300,000 by the trade union confederation, CGTP, showed that the communists were correct to … Continue reading
They call it ‘competitiveness’, but it’s ‘brutal exploitation’: new leader of Portugal’s CGTP union
IN THE RADICAL THE PRESS / IL MANIFESTO Ahead of a national demonstration on February 11, the new leader of Portugal’s main union confederation, Armenio Carlos, explains why he opposes the country’s recent labour market reforms, why the public debt must be renegotiated and of the importance of ‘giving hope that a different politics is … Continue reading
Spaniards take to streets of capital over public service cuts
Twenty thousand Spaniards demonstrated in defense of public services this Tuesday evening in the capital Madrid. Comissiones Obreras, UGT and other unions highlighted the negative impact on users of services, from health, where patients face reduced contact time with professional medical staff and longer waiting times, to poorer social care for elderly relatives, reduced emergency … Continue reading
Monti, Italy and jobs for life
Italian premier Mario Monti hasn’t been in the job long, but is already the new darling of the European elite. So much so that some political pundits have dropped ‘Merkozy’ – the Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy duo – for the ‘Merkonti’ trio. Certainly, his economists’ training and measured, articulate manner, contrasts favourably with his … Continue reading
Catalans in fresh protests over spending cuts
Public sector workers marched through Barcelona Wednesday to protest against spending cuts made by the regional government of Catalonia. The protestors marched behind a large black and white banner reading “No to the cuts. Save Public Services”, making their way from the central Plaza Sant Jaume to the Catalan parliament, where MPs were debating the budget for … Continue reading
Real wages to fall 5% in Spain as unprecedented deficit cuts loom
Wages will fall 5% in real terms in Spain this year thanks a freeze in the minimum wage and price increases, according to Comisiones Obreras trade union confederation. Suggestions that wages were too high were not backed by the evidence as seven million workers earned “significantly less” than 1000 euros a month, said General Secretary … Continue reading
Italian unions to protest over health cuts
The CGIL, Italy’s largest trade union confederation, has called a day of action on Friday 18 November to protest against cuts to health budgets. Among the swinging austerity measures passed by the outgoing government of Silvio Berlusconi over the weekend were health cuts of 12 billion euros (£10.3 billion) through 2014. The measures come on … Continue reading
Berlusconi promises ‘hire and fire’ reforms
By Tom Gill After stormy discussions with coalition partners, the Italian premier SIlvio Berlusconi has made a number of promises to Eurozone country leaders that are designed to cut the Italian debt, partly through spending cuts and partly through measures that will supposedly boost growth. These include new attacks on working people: • New legislation … Continue reading
Is it arrivederci for Silvio?
By Tom Gill Is the game really up for Silvio Berlusconi? Italian MPs will decide tomorrow. A confidence vote is due in the Italian parliament, following a humiliating and wholly unexpected defeat on Tuesday on an essentially technical vote. Significantly Guilio Tremonti, Berlusconi’s Finance minister, and Umberto Bossi, the leader of junior coalition partner, the … Continue reading
Portugal: contra o programa de agressão!
Against impoverishment and injustice, against the programme of aggression! For jobs, wages, pensions and social rights! These are the slogans that will accompany tens of thousands expected on a march in Lisbon and Oporto today to protest against IMF imposed austerity and privatisation programme. The demonstrations, called by the CGTP, the country’s largest trade union central, … Continue reading
Italian protest against “Social Butchery”
Tomorrow Italy’s streets are expected to swell with protests at the Italian Government’s austerity measures. The general strike, called by the CGIL, the country’s largest trade union central, comes amid growing political instability in Rome. The Governing coalition is badly split over plans to cut the budget deficit and premier Silvio Berlusconi himself is mired … Continue reading
Migrant workers stand up for their rights
Last weekend one hundred and fifty tomato pickers in the southern Italian region of Puglia walked off the job. The workers, African immigrants, had been labouring for 10 hours a day in back breaking conditions for a mere 20 euros (17 pounds) a day. They were getting paid 3.5 euros a “cassatone”, a 100 kg crate. … Continue reading
“It’s not a crisis, it’s the system”
By Tom Gill “No es una crisis, es el sistema! (“It’s not a crisis, it’s the system”): this was the key message the indignados sent to their politicians as they returned in their tens of thousands to the centre of Madrid last weekend. Hundreds had arrived after a month long journey on foot from 50 odd towns … Continue reading
THE EURO
The Dossier
FRANCE
GERMANY
GREECE
ITALY
PORTUGAL
SPAIN
