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47 No trains, no planes, big strikes:

European nations hit as workers protest cuts, layoffs

By Raf Casert, The Associated Press Spanish Economy Minister Luis de
Guindos spoke of "a long crisis that has
BRUSSELS - Hundreds of thousands meant sacrifice and uncertainty," but
of Europe's beleaguered citizens went said: "The government is convinced
on strike or snarled the streets of several that the path we have taken is the only
capitals Wednesday, at times clashing possible way out."
To combat a three-year financial
with riot police, as they demanded that
1391 آبان 26 هعمج - 1213 هربمش / بیستا لبس Workers with jobs and without spoke raise taxes and cut spending, pensions
crisis over too much sovereign debt,
governments stop cutting benefits and
governments across Europe have had to
create more jobs.
and benefits. As well as hitting workers'
of a "social emergency" crippling the
incomes and living standards, these
world's largest economic bloc, a union
measures have also led to a decline in
of 27 nations and half a billion people.
economic output and a sharp increase
The protests were met with tear gas
in unemployment.
in Italy and Spain, but were largely
limited to the countries hardest hit
The zone of the 17 countries that use
by the austerity measures designed
to bring government spending into
into recession when official figures
line with revenues. Wealthier nations
are released Thursday. Unemployment
like Germany, the Netherlands and the euro currency is expected to fall
across those countries has reached a
Denmark saw only small, sedate record 11.6 per cent, with Spain and this year — was being observed by the Eurostar high-speed rail services
demonstrations. Greece seeing levels above 25 per cent. nearly all workers in the automobile, — vital links that connect Brussels,
Governments backing the line of With no end in sight to Europe's energy, shipbuilding and construction London and Paris.
stringent austerity were not impressed economic hardship, workers were industries. The country, reeling Philippe de Buck, chief of the EU
by the show of force. trying to take a stand on Wednesday. from austerity measures designed employers' federation Eurobusiness,
"We must nevertheless do what is "There is a social emergency in the to prevent it from asking for a full- said the strike would cost billions of
necessary: break open encrusted labour south," said Bernadette Segol, secretary blown international bailout, is euros and hurt Europe's ability to attract
markets, give more people a chance to general of the European Trade Union mired in recession with 50 per cent investors.
work, become more flexible in many Confederation. "All recognize that the unemployment among its under-25s. "If you start striking at national level
areas," German Chancellor Angela policies carried out now are unfair and Ignacio Fernandez Toxo, a CCOO and in companies you only will harm
Merkel said. "We will of course make not working." Spanish union leader, called the economy," he said. "And it is not
this clear, again and again, in talks with Spain's General Workers' Union said Wednesday's actions "a political strike the right thing to do today."
the unions." the nationwide strike — the second against the policies of a suicidal and Europe has a long history of union
In touch with Iranian diversity anti-social government." action, and workers' rights and benefits
The Spanish strike shut down most
have been one of the cornerstones of
schools, and hospitals operated with its welfare state, with its guaranteed
skeleton staffs. Health and education medical care, generous unemployment
have both suffered serious spending benefits and often comfortable
cutbacks and increased moves toward pensions.
privatization. The union action was not felt across the
Frustration spilled into violence when entire region, however, with countries
riot police clashed with demonstrators where austerity has not hit as hard
Lawyers ﻼﻛﻭ in Madrid and other Spanish cities. By experiencing little disruption.
In Austria, which has the eurozone's
late afternoon, 110 people had been
604 - 982 - 4051 ICBC ٦٠٤ - ٩٨٢ - ٤٠٥١ arrested and 40 people, including 18 lowest unemployment at 4.3 per cent,
police, injured.
604 - 980 - 8571 Claims ٦٠٤ - ٩٨٠ -٨٥٧١ In Italy, protests turned violent as well, only about 350 people gathered in a
central square in Vienna to express
with some of the tens of thousands of solidarity with Greece. Many danced a
students and workers clashing with
sirtaki, Greece's traditional dance.
Vol. 20 / No. 1213 - Friday, Nov. 16, 2012 .ﺪﻳﺮﻴﮕﺑ ﺱﺎﻤﺗ ،ﻥﺎﺑﺯ ﻰﺳﺭﺎﻓ ﻞﻴﻛﻭ a handful of police were injured, because we were able to avoid the
riot police in several cities. Dozens
"So far, there are only symbolic
of demonstrators were detained and
demonstrations here in Germany,
according to Italian news reports.
crisis," said Michael Sommer, the
ﺎﺑ ﺎﻔﻄﻟ ﻰﻗﻮﻘﺣ ﻩﺭﻭﺎﺸﻣ یﺍﺮﺑ
In bailed-out Portugal, where the
head of Germany's main labour union
federation.
government intends to intensify
In Denmark, too, there were no strikes,
austerity measures next year, the second
ﻰﻠﻌﻔﻄﻟ ﻞﻴﻣﺎﻛ یﺎﻗﺁ
since co-operation between workers
general strike in eight months left
commuters stranded as trains ground
and employers has largely survived the
to a virtual halt and the Lisbon subway
crisis.
language as we do and we understand
from Portugal — about half the daily
average — were cancelled. Hospitals
each other's needs and demands," said
provided only minimum services and
Joergen Frederiksen, a 69-year-old
Kamil Lotfali, lawyer shut down. Some 200 flights to and "The employers speak the same
municipal trash was left uncollected. retired worker and former shop steward.
Protest marches in 40 Portuguese "There are good vibes between us and
ﻰﻗﻮﻘﺣ ﻪﺑﺮﺠﺗ ﻝﺎﺳ ٣٠ ﺯﺍ ﺶﻴﺑ ﺎﺑ " ﻻ ﺭﻮﺷ ﺕﺭﻮﻧ " ﻰﻗﻮﻘﺣ ﻪﺴﺳﺆﻣ - cities reportedly were peaceful but as that means a lot."
night fell a small group of protesters
ﺩﺮﻛ ﻢﻴﻫﺍﻮﺨﻧ ﺖﻓﺎﻳﺭﺩ یﺩﺰﻤﺘﺳﺩ ، ﻢﻴﺋﺎﻤﻨﻧ ﺖﻓﺎﻳﺭﺩ ICBC ﺯﺍ ﺍﺭ ﺎﻤﺷ ﺕﺭﺎﺴﺧ ﺎﺗ - threw rocks and bottles at riot police Among the Associated Press writers
protecting the parliament building in contributing to this report were Ciaran
ICBC ﺯﺍ ﻰﻟﺎﻣ ﻭ ﻰﻧﺎﺟ ﺕﺭﺎﺴﺧ ﻪﻧﻮﮔﺮﻫ ﺖﻓﺎﻳﺭﺩ - Lisbon. Giles in Madrid; Geir Moulson in Berlin;
Airports across Europe were forced Jan Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark;
47 NORTH SHORE LAW LLP to cancel flights to and from striking Mike Corder in The Hague, Netherlands;
Barry Hatton in Lisbon, Portugal;
nations.
6th Floor, 171 West Esplanade, North Vancouver, B.C. In Belgium, a 24-hour rail stoppage Colleen Barry in Milan, Italy; and Elena
klotfali@northshorelaw.com severely disrupted the Thalys and Becatoros in Athens, Greece.