Major labor unions are finally making good on threats that they made to the Spanish government in the wake of recent labor reforms. Unions have called "all Spanish workers" to strike for 24 hours on March 29, which elEconomista reported on yesterday.
Leaders from the UGT (Cándido Méndez) and CCOO (Ignacio Fernández Toxo) held meetings separately and then together in order to analyze the consequences of the law, which was ratified a day prior by Congress with favorable votes coming from the PP, Foro, CiU and UPN.
Union representatives did not choose this date randomly. The strike will take place four days after regional government elections in Andalusia and Asturias. The PSOE's last stronghold resides in Andalusia, where the socialist party is centralizing its opposition to spending cuts enacted by the Spanish national government.
"This strike is going to be a part of every campaign. It will begin on the same day as campaigns, on Thursday night," said various political analysts. "In Andalusia, there will be political posters from the PSOE that ask for citizens' votes. And at the same time there will be labor unions striking against labor reforms enacted by the PP, the same party that could rule in this region," the same sources reported.
The latest figures from CIS indicate that perhaps the PSOE could maintain power with support from IU, so the political aim of the strike seems clear. On the other hand, one day after the strike, the national government is expected to present its national budget proposal for 2012.
