Spain: unions mobilized against pension reform

The leaders of Workers’ Commissions (CCOO) and of the UGT called for their first mobilization against the government since Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero came to power in 2004. For the moment, they ruled out the possibility of a general strike, because of the ghost of the memory of the social movements in the 1980s which shook Socialist Felipe Gonzales’ government. So far, even with the difficult economic situation and 19% of jobseekers, the government could always count on unions’ support, guaranteeing relative social peace. In return, Mr. Zapatero has been rejecting employers’ claims to lower layoff costs and cut into social rights. The unilateral announcement of the pension reform terminated this tacit consent (see our dispatch No. 100110).
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ause of the ghost of the memory of the social movements in the 1980s which shook Socialist Felipe Gonzales’ government. So far, even with the difficult economic situation and 19% of jobseekers, the government could always count on unions’ support, guaranteeing relative social peace. In return, Mr. Zapatero has been rejecting employers’ claims to lower layoff costs and cut into social rights. The unilateral announcement of the pension reform terminated this tacit consent (see our dispatch No. 10

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