Spanish Protest Against Rajoy’s Labor Reform

Thousands of manifestants gathered on Sunday in the main streets of Spain to protest against labor reforms that the government of Mariano Rajoy presented in order to eliminate unemployment by 23% of the population, a record among industrialized countries.

Unions affirm that there are 500,000 demonstrators in Madrid, 400,000 in Barcelona and 150,000 in Valencia. While the police accounts 30,000 in Barcelona and 25,000 in Valencia (east). “If a negotiation with the government is not opened, then we can’t change the reform, we will continue the demonstrations and one of them may be a general strike,” said the general secretary of the UGT of Catalonia, Josep Maria Alvarez.

Rajoy defended his reform on Sunday, at the closing of the Popular Party in Seville. “It’s the reform that Spain needs to keep us from being the country of the European Union that destroys more jobs,” said Rajoy. This reform “puts us on a par with the most advanced countries of Europe and puts an end to injustice and discrimination in the labor market,” he said.

The Spanish government adopted a reform for “flexible” labor market on February 11, including the reduction of redundancy and measures to stimulate youth employment.

(MS)