# Strike



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

We should start adding another word to our vocabulary as it may be happening a lot.
Strike = huelga (WEL ga)

So the funcionarios were called to strike today and as always some areas are affected more than others. Not all funcionarios were called to strike and not all of them have seconded the strike, but if they did all follow, do you have any idea of what could happen? Do you know who the funcionarios are?? Well, practically everybody. The list includes...
post office workers, fire services, courts, the health service, public transport, schools, municiple sports centres, port authorities...
Any more to add to the list?????


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

The schools are closed in our area today, but the trains are running - I think????????? I hope so cos my son goes to school on the train

jo xxx


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

jojo said:


> The schools are closed in our area today, but the trains are running - I think????????? I hope so cos my son goes to school on the train
> 
> jo xxx


Schools in this area are open albeit with fewer staff, and RENFE wasn't called to strike or smth like that.


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## Tallulah (Feb 16, 2009)

This is a run up to the planned general strike so I think it's only a taster - so far only a couple of the teachers have planned their absence from our school today - but haven't heard/seen anything else going on.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Whilst I sympathise with people already on low pay who will see their wages cut even further...what practical benefit will the strike achieve?
Trouble is, we all agree that austerity and cuts are needed....until it affects us personally.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

mrypg9 said:


> Whilst I sympathise with people already on low pay who will see their wages cut even further...what practical benefit will the strike achieve?
> Trouble is, we all agree that austerity and cuts are needed....until it affects us personally.


Sadly it seems that people like to strike to demonstrate their feelings, some feel its an injustice because they may have bosses further up the chain who are not losing as much or who are being paid too much????? But yes its stupid and an unproductive statement. They lose money by not working and it doesnt help their companies or country. Its holding the country to ransom and using black mail IMO. What also annoys me (maybe just the case in the UK) is how much the union bosses get paid for being union bosses. They earn a fortune, while encouraging the poor employees to go on strike!!

Jo xxx


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

jojo said:


> Sadly it seems that people like to strike to demonstrate their feelings, some feel its an injustice because they may have bosses further up the chain who are not losing as much or who are being paid too much????? But yes its stupid and an unproductive statement. They lose money by not working and it doesnt help their companies or country. Its holding the country to ransom and using black mail IMO.
> 
> Jo xxx


Well, I suppose you could say that withdrawing your labour is the only weapon an employee has...but it often is merely a token protest.
I went on strike once years ago....we went to lobby the House of Commons. I can't remember if we achieved anything but I do remember that we stopped the coach on the way home and had the best fish'n' chips I've ever had from a chippie in Walthamstow.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Union bosses get high pay because they have huge responsibilities and are in most cases managing what are essentially enormous businesses. 
The General Secretary of the professional association I used to represent earns a six-figure salary which imo is well deserved. Some of the people represented earn even more if they are at the top of their profession.
The problem is that most Unions/Professional Associations are not representative of the majority of members - just the vocal minority who turn up at boring meetings. Most people use them as insurance or to get cheaper legal or medical services.


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## fourgotospain (May 4, 2009)

We got a letter back from school saying there was a 'huelga' today and there would only be a 'minimal service'. I believe attendance is optional today, but as they only have a week and a half left and it's only til 1pm, mine had no choice!! It'll either be really boring or really fun!


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## Guest (Jun 8, 2010)

I'm anxiously awaiting my OH's daily call, as there were a lot of doubts regarding going on strike in his workplace. It's their second-to-last day of school, so I feel bad for the kids. 

It did make the news here in the States though!


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## gerrit (Jul 15, 2008)

Heard that only the Ferrocarill Catalan (Catalan railways) are on strike (with a minimum of trains running at rush hour) but the metro and national railways would function as normal, at least that's what I was told. I took the Ferrocarill to work this morning and apart from the fact it seemed to be more packed than usual (indication there's lesser trains than normal serving this route) nothing too unusual appaeared.

Health services and fire dept on strike?! Then what if someone needs urgent surgery? What if a building catches fire? I suppose it is supposed to be a part of the staff absent then and not the entire group of employees.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

fourgotospain said:


> We got a letter back from school saying there was a 'huelga' today and there would only be a 'minimal service'. I believe attendance is optional today, but as they only have a week and a half left and it's only til 1pm, mine had no choice!! It'll either be really boring or really fun!


both my 2 had huelgas at school today - I let dd2 stay home - minimal service usually means glorified babysitting

I decide what to do each time there is a huelga - it depends largely on what work I have on that day, and where it is

dd1 had to go to school - 2 exams timetabled - apparently though the music teacher didn't turn up so they didn't do that exam!


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## Tallulah (Feb 16, 2009)

Seems to have kicked off a bit more here today judging by the Galician news channels - but really peaceful and they said it was about 65% attended by public service workers. They even interviewed people at a hospital and service was running as per normal albeit with fewer staff - appointments were being kept. 

I think what we have to keep in mind is that if you listen to those protesting and indeed read anything on them their protests reflect the fact that public service workers and pensionistas are made to bear the brunt of the cuts - and it's NOT their fault the country is in a crisis.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Tallulah said:


> Seems to have kicked off a bit more here today judging by the Galician news channels - but really peaceful and they said it was about 65% attended by public service workers. They even interviewed people at a hospital and service was running as per normal albeit with fewer staff - appointments were being kept.
> 
> I think what we have to keep in mind is that if you listen to those protesting and indeed read anything on them their protests reflect the fact that public service workers and pensionistas are made to bear the brunt of the cuts - and it's NOT their fault the country is in a crisis.


That is very true. As I said before, we all know cuts have to be made ...but we don't want them to affect us personally.
It will be the same in the UK - public sector workers will suffer most. Nurses, teachers, care staff, social workers....not all of them highly-paid, in fact most public sector workers are amongst the lowest paid and an awful lot of people rely on them.
I doubt very much whether any of these people had part-time jobs as hedge-fund managers, investment bankers or were currency speculators. But they are footing the bill for the greed and stupidity of those people who in many cases are still receiving huge bonuses on top of their six-figure salaries.
I know people in the UK who own several buy-to-let houses or have shares on which they will now have to pay a higher rate of Capital Gains Tax. Well, tough. They have incomes and lifestyles a council street sweeper could only dream of even taking the new rate of CGT into account.
I'm just a little surprised at the financial market's attack on Spain, though. Its ratio of debt to GDP is below the EU average and its public finances generally aren't in too bad a shape. It recently managed a successful bond issue at a reasonable yield.
It seems that the real worry is the likelihood of long-term stagnation. Any Spanish Government surely has to get a grip on this permanent /temporary job contract situation which seems to be a large part of the problem.


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## Tallulah (Feb 16, 2009)

mrypg9 said:


> That is very true. As I said before, we all know cuts have to be made ...but we don't want them to affect us personally.
> It will be the same in the UK - public sector workers will suffer most. Nurses, teachers, care staff, social workers....not all of them highly-paid, in fact most public sector workers are amongst the lowest paid and an awful lot of people rely on them.
> I doubt very much whether any of these people had part-time jobs as hedge-fund managers, investment bankers or were currency speculators. But they are footing the bill for the greed and stupidity of those people who in many cases are still receiving huge bonuses on top of their six-figure salaries.
> I know people in the UK who own several buy-to-let houses or have shares on which they will now have to pay a higher rate of Capital Gains Tax. Well, tough. They have incomes and lifestyles a council street sweeper could only dream of even taking the new rate of CGT into account.
> ...


Absolutely - they're trying to push through a labour reform, reducing redundancy from current 45 days per year to (iirc) 33 days per year - but I think that's still far too high. It is an impossible situation for small business owners/autonomos and we wonder why people are kept on (if they're lucky, renewable) temporary contracts or indeed have to go out of Spain to employ staff due to the SS contributions.


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