European Workers Stage Austerity Protests

Workers across the European Union are staging a series of protests and strikes against rising unemployment and austerity measures.

Organisers of the strike are urging national leaders to abandon austerity and address growing social anxiety.

Strikes are expected in Spain, Greece, Portugal and Italy, with other protests planned in Belgium, Germany, France the UK and some eastern EU states.

Airlines across Europe have been cancelling and rescheduling flights.

Spain and Portugal have been particularly hit, and airlines are recommending passengers to check the schedules before travelling to airports.

The European Trade Union Confederation urged workers to walk out on Wednesday.

“Austerity is a total dead end and must be abandoned,” the group said in a statement.

Some 40 groups from 23 countries are involved in Wednesday’s demonstrations.

‘There is just no work’

Unions in Spain and Portugal started strikes at midnight to protest against austerity measures that have combined tax rises with cuts in salaries, pensions, benefits and social services.

Marchers came out late on Tuesday in Spain, where 25% are unemployed, the highest rate in Europe.

“I have two sons in my house, one is getting subsidies, the other has been at home for the last three years,” said protesting housewife, Paqui Olmo.

“It is not that he doesn’t want to work, there is just no work.”

The government has played down the general strike, saying the electricity grid is register 80% of its normal usage.

But several national companies have said their operations have ground to a halt.

The BBC’s Chris Morris in Lisbon says union pickets have been out on the streets of the Portuguese capital since the early hours.

Public transport has come to a virtual standstill, and many schools and public offices are expected to be closed, our correspondent says.

In Italy, transport workers are expected to join a four-hour national strike, though airlines said they did not expect flights to be disrupted.

BBC