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HUGE PROTESTS against crisis pay cuts and tax hikes filled the streets of Spanish cities this evening, as workers yelled in anger branding the crisis measures “robbery”.
Unions called more than 80 demonstrations across the country, the latest and biggest in an almost daily series of protests this month.
“Hands up, this is a robbery!” protesters bellowed in Madrid, where a sea of demonstrators crammed the avenues of the city centre.
A sustained string of protests erupted after prime minister Mariano Rajoy last week announced the new measures, aiming to save €65 billion in order to slash the public deficit.
Among the steps is a cut to the Christmas bonus paid to civil servants, equivalent to a seven-per-cent reduction in annual pay. This came on top of a pay cut in 2010, which was followed by a salary freeze.
“There’s nothing we can do but take to the street. We have lost between 10 and 15 per cent of our pay in the past four years,” said Sara Alvera, 51, a worker in the justice sector, demonstrating in Madrid.
“These measures won’t help end the crisis.”
Under pressure from the European Union to stabilise Spain’s public finances, the conservative government also cut unemployment benefits and raised sales tax, with the upper limit rising from 18 to 21 percent.
Budget minister Cristobal Montoro defended the measures today, saying they were needed to lower Spain’s borrowing costs.
“There is no money in the coffers to pay for public services. We are making reforms that will allow us to better finance ourselves,” he said.
Protestors angrily rejected this claim. ”There isn’t a shortage of money — there are too many thieves,” read one sign hoisted in the crowd.
Critics say the government’s new austerity measures will worsen economic conditions for ordinary people.
Cristina Blesa, a 55-year-old teacher, said she and her husband would struggle to pay their son’s university tuition fees because of the cuts and tax hikes.
“We’re earning less and less and at the same time the price of everything is going up — the metro, the lighting bill,” she said.
“Now with the rise in VAT everything is going to be even more expensive. It’s more and more difficult at the end of the month.”
Unions have called for the protests to be peaceful but clashes broke out between demonstrators and police on the fringes of some marches in Madrid last week, including one by striking coal miners.
Spain is due this month to become the fourth eurozone country, after Greece, Ireland and Portugal, to get bailout funds in the current crisis when it receives the first loan from a €100 billion credit line for its banks.
Eurozone leaders are expected to finalise the deal in a telephone conference tomorrow.
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Great to see it, we the Irish used to have this fight and passion about our country!!
A long time ago. Nowadays unfortunately we the Irish wouldn’t get off our arses for anything. Especially if it was someone robbing us blind. Cut off sky sports and then we’ll see some protests, or raise the price of beer. A bull without balls is what this nation has become.
A bullock?!
They are not fighting for their country – they’re fighting for the money in their pockets! (And who could blame them?)
It’s not that we don’t have passion or fight it’s because their salaries are already rock bottom and as a nation they have a greater sense of entitlement for some reason or another. There are many protests in Spain (almost weekly) and surprisingly I have seen people protesting because there are no jobs. To me and I think to most Irish people protesting that there are no jobs just doesn’t make any sense.
The other important thing to note is that we realise that protests aren’t going to make a shred of a difference. The damage has been done.
When?
Incorrect Wayne. Check out the list of bond payments still to be payed that this government has no obligation to make.
Agreed @Trueleft there are certainly things that we can protest about and I am not at all saying that we shouldn’t protest (in fact I agree we should and have plenty of reason). I am simply trying to point out the differences between why they do and we don’t and arguing that it’s not about us not being completely apathetic (the sheer anger on this site and other forums suggests otherwise). We just haven’t reached tipping point yet that’s all.
What bothers me is the fact that we are all to good at criticising ourselves and comparing apples and oranges when the facts are as clear as day.
Spain unemployment – 25%
Average industrial wage Spain – 1,700 – 1,800 euro
– many with far less
Cost per square meter Madrid (apartment to buy) – 5,054.80 euro
– Dublin – 3,800.00 euro
Buying weekly groceries in Spain (Madrid) is more or less the same cost as Ireland.
It is also important to note that Spain until recently was run by a socialist Govt. which is one reason for the sense of entitlement that we don’t seem to have (which I feel is a good thing and probably one reason why there is more entrepreneurial spirit alive and kicking in Ireland). Another reason why we probably don’t protest is because we are being fed this crap about us being too apathetic or too lazy to protest and people end up arguing the toss over this rather than banding together to publicly express our thoughts.
We need to get that Fight and Passion back
I would just like to add that I am not one of these lazy cowards you talk about, I will never let the government or any supposed hierarchy dictate to me in any shape or form ever again which means I won’t pay taxes on income, vehicles, property or assets and I’ll make it my business to screw them any way I can until they do their job which is to serve the people of this country!
Fight for What ?…
Ireland the land of sheep .
Ireland only has a sheep population of 2.3m whereas New Zealand’s sheep population is 32.3m. With a sheep to population ratio of almost 10:1, technically IT is the land of sheep. Good to see the farm animal metaphors out in force tonight though…
Watch and see how it’s done…..a people with pride and nationalism..we should learn from them.
Of course the Irish don’t take to the street when you look at the Spanish data. Our average industrial wage is nearly twice theirs and unemployment benefits when looked in the round are multiples of what you might receive in Spain.
The Irish don’t “do” protests. They sit in the pub and bitch and moan. Myself and my family went on the marches in Dublin to protest against the bank bailouts and we were abused from the public… Shame on you.
Yes just a country of moaners but no doers!!!
Ironically it sounds like you are having a bit of a moan yourself Aditya. What exactly does your country do?
Nothing will happen here while the public service are cocooned by Croke park.
As long as they are ok the rest of us can widdle into the wind.
Pull up the ladder jack I’m all right!!!
Nothin will happen while people here are cowering behind the curtins.
The public sector here have had worse pay cuts between 17 to 27 %. Everyone’s favourite whipping boy don’t let the truth get in the way of your bias
Orla is that a genuine figure for reduction in gross salary across the public sector? It seems high which suggests to me it is not! More likely it includes the amount that is now contributed to the pot of gold pensions and the other increases in USC etc. These are not a reduction in gross salary!
Also has there not been two rounds of infamous pay rises (please don’t start this pay rise v increment debate, in the real non union speak world they are pay rises) since those reductions!
Dear Ireland, please take note.
What do we do? Bend over and say it’s ok Enda, you can have more if you want.
Irish people protesting? LMAO. They ring up Joe Duffy to vent their frustration and also on here instead
In fairness, their lucky to have jobs in the public sector. Join the private sector and your job is worth jack ….
“They’re”
Its a common feature of english speaking nations that they don’t protest much. So much crap coming out of the media and our culture in general from both sides of the atlantic that its all about me, me, me now and we pretty much all hate each other now :) Even in Canada the only people that protest are the French speaking ones. Seems to be a much stronger community spirit in continental Europe.
Community spirit in continental Europe!!! There was shag all of it shown when they decided to shaft the Irish people.
The spanish people did not shaft the Irish people. A group of sociopath bankers aided by timid politicians, all of whom would fit in your living room, shafted the Irish people.
We used to have the spirit and the backbone to take to the streets and protest, but we’ve been duped as a nation. The troika, in collusion with the Irish government, have turned the Irish people against each other. I see it on here daily, private sector versus public sector, private and public sector versus unemployed and children’s benefit etc. I’ve even seen a couple of posts here today could have the posters charged under the incitement to hatred act. It reminds me of the old joke, a capitalist, a worker and an unemployed man were sharing a packet of 12 biscuits, the capitalist takes 11 biscuits, turns to the worker and says, “you should watch him, he has his eye on your biscuit “.
Funny that, reminds me of a story too:
(This is not an Irish story-it originates in the States IIRC, should someone do the math for here, I reckon the latter three guys would be paying far more-anyway…)
It’s the one about the ten men going for lunch-the bill invariably coming to a hundred euro-and with the company having differing incomes (just like the country), they decided that rather than going Dutch, they’d divide the bill according to the way income tax is paid.
The first four ate for free, the fifth paid €1, the sixth €3, the seventh €7, the eighth €12, the ninth €18. Number ten is far wealthier, so he ends up with the remaining €59, which he doesn’t mind. He’s good for it.
They went there so often, that Luigi behind the counter said to them, “Guys, you’re good customers, and it is appreciated. From now on, eighty euro is more than enough for all of you.”
This was something of a problem! How to disperse this saving fairly? It came down to two euro a man. Now, the first four could hardly capitalise, as they were eating for free in the first place. Nor could they divide the €20 saving among the six, as that would mean that the fifth and sixth would eat for free, too.
Then Luigi, who was listening, made a suggestion; Reduce the bill of each person who was paying by a percentage of what they had been paying. So, #5 who had been paying a euro, now paid nothing, #6 paid €2 (€1 less), #7 paid €5 (down from €7), #8 €9 (from €12), #9 €12 (from €18), leaving Money Bags (the rich guy) with the remainder of €52-from €59.
The men paid and left.
Outside, in the cold light of day-they compared notes. “We saved €20 in there!” exclaimed #6, “But I only got one lousy euro!”. He looked at #10. “He got seven euro out of the twenty! And he’s loaded!” #7 joined in; “Why should I only get €2, when he gets €7? Typical! The rich get richer!”
The four guys who hadn’t paid, immediately jumped in; “We never got a cent! This guy comes here every day with his pockets full, lives in a fine house, while we struggle!” And he gets seven euro off? We haven’t gotten anything!
With that, they rounded on #10 and beat him up.
The following week, needless to say, number ten didn’t turn up for their weekly lunch. They expected as much, and enjoyed their meal as normal.
However, they were shocked to find that they were €52 short when it came to settle their bill. They didn’t eat there again…
Presumably the capitalist was the biscuit maker?
I don’t see one Spanish flag in the photo, they are all Catalan, so I presume it is Barcelona , they may be marching for more than austerity……….
The photo may be from Barcelona but read the story it says all over Spain. Or check out some of the numerous anti-austerity websites where you can see the images from protests which were just as large elsewhere. Just because the pic here shows Catalan flags doesn’t mean they were marching for other reasons.
FYI: I’ve checked and can confirm that the photo IS from yesterday, and is indeed from Barcelona.
Have they seen the deal we got? The Spanish don’t know now lucky they are. The EU et al have been busy trying their best to sugar coat this bailout whereas the Irish got it right between the eyes by making all the Bank debt public debt.
Folks of Ireland, now that is how you protest, take note.
Viva Espana…that goodness. some people have cajones.( look it up )…..we should stand by our Spanish cousins…..we’re all being fu..Ed at the alter of Angela meerkat and her mates in the international banking con job
Can we have a poll? How many accusing the Irish of being “sheep” have actually attended any sort of demonstration or protest or done anything worth hearing about concerning our situation?
Spot on Tokidoll, same people calling every day or at least every other day for the people of Ireland to get out and protest…..It seems to me that there’s plenty enough people on here who wish to protest that if they all got together with so many of the like minded friends and family they speak about that they would have a damn good protest. Alas out of the lot of them, they can’t even organise that……….roll on the excuses! In case there is any doubt, I ave no issue with people protesting, more power to them, but I’m also happy for those, who don’t have any sense of entitlement and just go out and work, and if they can’t find a job they create one. Some people like to just make better of themselves regardless of the forces against them.
I have attended both anti household charge marches in Dublin as well as the last two union organised marches. And of course the anti war demonstration, which amazingly managed to get 200 000 people onto the streets of Dublin on a Saturday afternoon. Guess as a nation we (rightly) really disagree with war but dont care about being robbed blind to pay gambling debts of the wealthy.
The workers united will never be defeated.
Sham 69, if I’m not mistaken?. Or if I am, Marx?.
Of course they will Petr. Their wages will be cut, their taxes will rise and they will pay them. Most bills and fees will rise, they also will be paid. There is nothing anyone can do. The world workers income is levelling out somewhat. It’s what happens when companies move their manufacturing bases to China and other Asian countries. Western workers wages will drop while Eastern / Asian workers wages rise. They may not ever get to parity but they will continue to get a hell of a lot closer. Sad, but that’s the way it is.
You think you’re very clever. You’ve been beaten down son. What I said is true, united we cannot be beaten.
Now Petr, by keeping your head in the sand and not acknowledging what is happening does not make it the truth “son”. The workers have always been dictated to, that’s how it works. When companys are turning profits with the economy growing and where companys compete with one another for employees the pay and conditions rise. As soon as this stops so comes to an end the pay and conditions. Look around you Petr. For you to think that it was the “workers” as you put it, who fought for the pay and conditions is simply delusional. No company ever pays more than what it has already privately agreed despite whatever noises it makes publicly. Your “united we stand” gibberish is a bit childish, and by the way having ones eyes open and being able to see the bigger picture does not mean beaten rather on the contrary, it give one the advantage of a little foresight. While ostrich imitations do little to further ones ability to get ahead.
Fair play to Spain.The Spanish won’ t take it.Here people are like a flock of sheep .They say Amen to everything good or bad with no question.They are afraid to make waves in the European sea.
Have to agree with you Caroline’..bunch of Sheep indeed
Interesting article. A crisis caused by reckless bank lending, bondholders earning interest on interest, traders pushing up the cost of borrowing and gambling on country’s failing. And then at the very end of the article is an advert ….. “YOU can become a trader!” …. And the cycle goes on.
The man makes a good point.
It’d be great to see a bit get up and go here too!!We are far too compliant here,but we are unreal at grumbling lots.
ah it’s different protesting in Spain, sexy chicas and chicos, sunshine and sangria and then a siesta!in Ireland,belting down rain and full of farmers!
Do you think they are having fun?? check this video and if you think it´s about drinking sangria and siesta than join them!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1DMkSMPa5c
No march in bcn today, stock photo
FYI: I can confirm that the photo IS from yesterday, and is indeed from Barcelona.
Some harsh comments above the Irish not protesting. The Irish left love to characterise the people as “sheep” due to their nauseating sense of superiority and being “in the know,” assuming that protests are somehow taken seriously by governments, but personally I think it displays a maturity and awareness of the situation that we’re not out marching about every perceived grievance . A few things to bear in mind abut protests:
Protests represent only the people who are against the government which is an obvious fact that’s never reported on – People who are happy enough with what the government is doing simply will not demonstrate. Even if the vast majority supports the government, all public demos will be against the government. The media will cover a few hundred people having a demo. It doesn’t cover the non protesting majority of the people.
Even huge demos may not represent public opinion. Votes represent public opinion. Demos don’t.
Another thing to remember is that protests represent only the people who have time to go on one. – Protests are dominated by young, unmarried people like students. People who have tons of time and energy and are mobile.
People who have serious jobs, mortgages, babies and children to care for, perhaps elderly parents to care for, and so on – will not be found on demos, or travelling round the country living in tents and engaging in “direct action”. They have opinions just as strong as the carefree, childless students, but they will not express them at demos. They express them at the ballot box. Governments know this, and that is why they do not take demos seriously.
we should have been doing this months ago
NATION OF SHEEP
RULED BY WOLVES
OWNED BY PIGS
the lightning bill, jaysus don’t let the boys in the dail hear about that one!
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