Spain  RESISTANCE  

     

With Fernando Medina Gómez

If the government doesn’t make things right, we are headed towards a new general strike

   

Fernando is International Union Activity Secretary for CC.OO.’s affiliate FECOHT (the Commerce, Hotel and Tourism State Federation) Sirel spoke with him regarding the recent march in Madrid, organized jointly with other federations of labor unions and different social movements.

 

-Who was responsible for organizing the march?
-The demonstration in Madrid on Saturday 15th was convoked by “Cumbre Social” (Social Summit), a coordinating body that includes union organizations and hundreds of other entities from civil society.

The summit is a broad mix of groups that represent all of society.
 

-Was there a positive response?
-The attendance was massive. Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators marched into Columbus Square from diverse areas in Madrid where the formal meeting was established, including several speeches by numerous speakers.

 

 

-Which were the causes that led to this march?
-Like many other demonstrations occurred recently, this march expressed the people’s opposition and protest in relation to the cabinet policy established by the government of the Popular Party (PP).

To put in the words of the CC.OO’s Secretary, Ignacio Fernández Toxo, there is a rebellion in place by elite groups who want to force a change which implies ruining the state of welfare with an economic adjustment process that violates the rights of workers and all citizens in general.

Such has been our latest attempt, but there are more to come because new actions are being organized already.

If it is true, as Rajoy has said, that reality continuously forcing him to do things he does not want to do, then he should either resign or allow the referendum that is claimed for .


-What are the main cutbacks decided by the government?
-Surely the working class of Latin America is already familiar with this kind of policies that bring along harsh structural and tax reforms to abide by the conditions set forth in the European continent.

These cutbacks on rights represent a significant increase in unemployment figures – apart from the jobs naturally lost as a result of the economic crisis in itself – which are currently above 24 percent.

A crude deregulation of labor relations is promoted, with budget cuts in education and health, all of which leads to an overall demotion of sectors that are key to the state of welfare.
 

-A referendum is claimed to oppose this PP policy, right?

-The fact is that the Popular Party accessed the government with a program submitted during the campaign that has nothing to do with what has been done in this term of office. Of course, Mariano Rajoy justifies this as a result of being forced to it by reality.

 

But that argument has no political sustainability. If reality forces him to constantly do things he is reluctant to do, then he should either resign or allow the referendum that is claimed for subjecting this policy to the decision of citizens. There are not many chances of this happening, but we will continue to demand it anyway.

 

-And what are unions proposing specifically?
-It has been clearly established, even in the speeches of last Saturday, that the decision of a new general strike lies in the hands of the government authorities, because if the government doesn’t make things right, we are headed towards a strike. It would be the third general strike in a period of two years.
 

-There are also plans for joint actions by unions from across Europe…
-Even when the situation in Northern Europe is not comparable to that of Mediterranean countries or even France, the idea is spreading in the European Unions Confederation (CES) as to the fact that this is not problem of Greek, Spanish and Italian workers only; it might end up affecting the state of welfare through all of Europe.

There is a rebellion in place by elite groups who want to force a change which implies ruining the state of welfare with an economic adjustment process that violates the rights of workers and all citizens in general.

 

So, it is possible that during the upcoming CES meeting in Madrid, on September 25th, actions will be undertaken towards a new demonstration at the continental scale, with different expressions depending on each country and situation, but backed by a shared vindication like safeguarding the state of welfare for everyone.

 

-In your opinion, what purposes has Saturday’s march served?
-It had an important impact on the increasing conviction that only from an active position will it be possible to not only put a halt to this anti-democratic loss of direction by the government but also to recover the rights lost in the cutbacks.

From the union perspective, the march was very significant, because the pursuit against the rights of workers and all citizens that is taking place in Spain and in other countries is enhanced by all kinds of actions aimed at undermining the capability of unions to defend themselves.

The march has also proved that the different trends present in the workers’ unions are closely united and we can face up to the government policy together.
 

-Would the referendum have any binding effects? Would it imply a legal obligation for the authorities?
-The government would not be legally bound. But there is no doubt regarding the political effects of a massive participation in a process of this type. At present, the PP party enjoys an absolute majority in Parliament, but they have lost all possible social legitimacy quite some time ago, not only as respects the voters of other parties but also in relation to their own supporters.

-Lastly, what message would you send to the IUF and workers in Latin America?
-To stay confident that Spain’s workers unions, and particularly the CC.OO on behalf of which I speak, will not yield an inch in our battle to defend the rights they intend to take away from us, regardless of how difficult the circumstances may become.
 

 

Rel-UITA

                 September 20, 2012

 

 

 

 

Photo 1: Gerardo Iglesias

Photo 2: WORLDPRESS

 

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