General Strike In Spain: Early Reports

10.30am Spanish trade unions are claiming 70% support for the General Strike across the country today. They claim that more than 10 million people are not working today, and many of them will be attending the more than 100 demonstrations organised across the country. (see effects below for more details)

8.30am Flight Cancellations: Ryanair flights between Dublin and Alicante, Barcelona, Madrid, Malaga, Murcia and Palma Mallorca, have been cancelled.

So what has the internet got to say about the General Strike In Spain this morning?

Check out the latest headlines and summaries below:

Pain in Spain as strike causes travel chaos

Spain is braced for a debilitating 24-hour general strike on Wednesday, with up to two thirds of all international flights being cancelled.

The country’s first general strike for eight years will cause travel misery for thousands of tourists and other travellers flying to and from Spain.

Budget airline easyJet has cancelled around half its Spanish flights and rival low-fare carrier Ryanair has told passengers they can only bring hand-luggage to limit disruption from striking baggage handlers.

Several airlines, including British Airways, warned passengers of disruption and advised them to check their respective websites for further information.

Among those hit by the Spanish strike will be Manchester United supporters flying to support the team in an away Champions League tie at Valencia on Wednesday evening. Telegraph

Lack of support likely to lessen impact of Spanish general strike

Spanish unions have called for the countrys first general strike in eight years to protest against proposed labour reforms. But with polls predicting only a 9% turnout, it looks more likely to be detrimental to the unions than the government. Expatica

General Strike underway since midnight

The seventh general strike since the beginnings of democracy here in Spain began at midnight tonight, a strike called by the CCOO and UGT unions in protest at the government’s labour reform bill.

It is the unions’ intention to bring the country to a standstill from midnight on Tuesday until midnight on Wednesday.

For the first time in democratic history, the government has managed to negotitate with the transport unions to secure some minimum services for September 29th.

25% of flights between Spain’s major cities and 20% of long-distance train services will operate.

25% of local train services will run, rising to 30% in both the morning and evening rush hour.

In the case of Madrid, 50% of transport services are supposed to run in rush hour and 20% the rest of the day, but union leaders have criticised this, labelling it “abusive” and have warned that it is unlikely to happen.

No agreement was reached with regard to the TV channels either, although the Ministry of Industry demanded 12%. think SPAIN

Spain Strike Live News 2010 | Spain Strikers | Live Strike on Spain | Air Traffic and Air Port Strike in Spain

Reports suggested that some regions were far more affected than others, particularly Catalonia, where the transport network was disrupted and protesters briefly cut off the city’s main thoroughfare by burning tires. The public sector strike came on top of a separate protest by truck drivers angered by the cost of diesel fuel, which has notable hit track at the border with France. Global Pile

Spain braced for travel chaos, protests in general strike

Spain faced travel chaos and mass protests Wednesday in its first general strike in eight years amid anger over tough government measures aimed at slashing unemployment and reviving the economy.

But with the socialist government’s labour reforms and belt-tightening measures viewed as inevitable, the walkout was expected to draw a weak response.

A poll published Friday in the newspaper Publico said some 55 percent of Spaniards thought the strike was justified, but only 18 percent planned to take part and 71 percent believed it would not force the government of Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero to change course. Expatica

It is going to be tricky in Spain

Manchester United are looking to striker Dimitar Berbatov to end their miserable European record in Spain tonight (tomorrow morning, Singapore time) as they search for their first Champions League win of the season at Spanish league leaders Valencia.

With Wayne Rooney, 24, dropped from the United squad, further fuelling concerns over the striker’s readiness to overcome his ankle injury and damaging off-pitch revelations about his trysts with prostitutes, the much-maligned Berbatov looks ready to emerge as the Red Devils’ new charm. Today Online

Air traffic strikes hit Irish flights

Members of the public travelling to Spain face severe disruption today as more than two dozen flights have been cancelled due to strike action.

Ryanair has cancelled most flights to and from Spain which had been due to operate today.

Despite a general one-day strike in Spain, the airline had hoped to operate “hand-baggage only flights”. This would have meant passengers not being allowed to check in bags.

However, in a statement last night, it said that the Spanish government had failed to ensure the minimum service guarantees for non-Spanish airlines’ flights.

As a result, Ryanair flights between Dublin and Alicante, Barcelona, Madrid, Malaga, Murcia and Palma Mallorca, have been cancelled. Irish Times

Pickets bring disruption early on in Spain’s General Strike

The first General Strike under the Zapatero Government is underway, and the unions are talking of success, while the Government says the day has started without incidents.

The first pickets have started to cause incidents, especially in Madrid, and also at the main food distribution points at the main cities across the country. Mercamadrid and Mercasevilla wholesale markets are being blocked by pickets.

There are early reports of at least three pickets being injured in Madrid, Barcelona, and Ciudad Real. In Madrid a newspaper van is said to have run over a 51 year old female picket outside the Bermont printers. Typically Spanish

Cost Of The Strike

Each worker who is stopped from going to work today will lose 67 € while the ‘liberados’ union activists will lose nothing. It says the cost of the strike if successful will be 7.69 billion € – close to the amount spent this year on employment policies.

Effects

Girona airport has not been able to open this morning. Ryanair has now cancelled all flights to Spain today.

Most Spanish ports have been greatly affected and there are no ferries across the Strait to Tangiers.

Only 4% of lorries entered the Mercamadrid wholesale fruit and vegetable market in the capital overnight.

Unions claiming massive support in Andalucia, Murcia and Galicia.

Three pickets injured at the doors of the Michelin factory in Valladolid.

Canal Sur and Telemadrid are off air.

20% of Metro trains are running in Madrid according to unions.
First train entered Atocha station in Madrid at 9am this morning.

No postal deliveries in Barcelona.

The access road to the Andalucía Technology Park in Málaga has been blocked by pickets, but police have opened another access to the park where pickets are only handing out leaflets.

Cleaners at the 12 de Octobre Hospital in Madrid are complaining that their minimum services have been set at 80%, when there are hardly any consultations taking place.

Energy demand is the same as on a Sunday or fiesta, and unions are claiming this is a sign of the success of the stoppage.

Meanwhile the Government has claimed that minimum services are being met 99%, and that the Madrid Metro is working at 75%.