Austerity protests stall several European nations; Wealthier countries see small demonstrations

Protesters face off with police during a general strike in Madrid, Spain, Nov. 14, 2012. / AP

Updated 3:50 PM ET

BRUSSELS Hundreds of thousands of Europe's beleaguered citizens went on strike or snarled the streets of several capitals Wednesday, at times clashing with riot police, as they demanded that governments stop cutting benefits and create more jobs.

Workers with jobs and without spoke of a "social emergency" crippling the world's largest economic bloc, a union of 27 nations and half a billion people.

The protests were met with tear gas in Italy and Spain, but were largely limited to the countries hardest hit by the austerity measures designed to bring government spending into line with revenues. Wealthier nations like Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark saw only small, sedate demonstrations.

Governments backing the line of stringent austerity were not impressed by the show of force.

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`'We must nevertheless do what is necessary: break open encrusted labor markets, give more people a chance to work, become more flexible in many areas," German Chancellor Angela Merkel said. `'We will of course make this clear, again and again, in talks with the unions."

Spanish Economy Minister Luis de Guindos spoke of "a long crisis that has meant sacrifice and uncertainty," but said: "The government is convinced that the path we have taken is the only possible way out."

To combat a three-year financial crisis over too much sovereign debt, governments across Europe have had to raise taxes and cut spending, pensions and benefits. As well as hitting workers' incomes and living standards, these measures have also led to a decline in economic output and a sharp increase in unemployment.

The zone of the 17 countries that use the euro currency is expected to fall into recession when official figures are released Thursday. Unemployment across those countries has reached a record 11.6 percent, with Spain and Greece seeing levels above 25 percent.

With no end in sight to Europe's economic hardship, workers were trying to take a stand on Wednesday.

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Spending cuts spark violent protests in Spain

`'There is a social emergency in the south," said Bernadette Segol, secretary general of the European Trade Union Confederation. `'All recognize that the policies carried out now are unfair and not working."

Spain's General Workers' Union said the nationwide strike -- the second this year -- was being observed by nearly all workers in the automobile, energy, shipbuilding and construction industries. The country, reeling from austerity measures designed to prevent it from asking for a full-blown international bailout, is mired in recession with 50 percent unemployment among its under-25s.

Ignacio Fernandez Toxo, a CCOO Spanish union leader, called Wednesday's actions "a political strike against the policies of a suicidal and anti-social government."

The Spanish strike shut down most schools, and hospitals operated with skeleton staffs. Health and education have both suffered serious spending cutbacks and increased moves toward privatization.

Frustration spilled into violence when riot police clashed with demonstrators in Madrid and other Spanish cities.

In the late afternoon, tens of thousands filled the downtown streets of Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and other cities, though officials and organizers gave differing turnout figures. The Interior Ministry said there were 35,000 in central Madrid, but unions said there 350,000. In Barcelona, organizers claimed more than 1 million turned out. Authorities there said it was around 50,000.

By early evening, 118 people had been arrested and 74 people, including 43 police, injured.

In Italy, protests turned violent as well, with some of the tens of thousands of students and workers clashing with riot police in several cities. Dozens of demonstrators were detained and a handful of police were injured, according to Italian news reports.

In bailed-out Portugal, where the government intends to intensify austerity measures next year, the second general strike in eight months left commuters stranded as trains ground to a virtual halt and the Lisbon subway shut down. Some 200 flights to and from Portugal -- about half the daily average -- were canceled. Hospitals provided only minimum services and municipal trash was left uncollected.

Protest marches in 40 Portuguese cities reportedly were peaceful but as night fell a small group of protesters threw rocks and bottles at riot police protecting the parliament building in Lisbon. A police charge dispersed the protesters who fled into narrow side-streets and set fire to trash cans. At least five people were injured.

Airports across Europe were forced to cancel flights to and from striking nations.

In Belgium, a 24-hour rail stoppage severely disrupted the Thalys and the Eurostar high-speed rail services -- vital links that connect Brussels, London and Paris.

Philippe de Buck, chief of the EU employers' federation Eurobusiness, said the strike would cost billions of euros and hurt Europe's ability to attract investors.

`'If you start striking at national level and in companies you only will harm the economy," he said. `'And it is not the right thing to do today."

Europe has a long history of union action, and workers' rights and benefits have been one of the cornerstones of its welfare state, with its guaranteed medical care, generous unemployment benefits and often comfortable pensions.

The union action was not felt across the entire region, however, with countries where austerity has not hit as hard experiencing little disruption.

In Austria, which has the eurozone's lowest unemployment at 4.3 percent, only about 350 people gathered in a central square in Vienna to express solidarity with Greece. Many danced a sirtaki, Greece's traditional dance.

"So far, there are only symbolic demonstrations here in Germany, because we were able to avoid the crisis," said Michael Sommer, the head of Germany's main labor union federation.

In Denmark, too, there were no strikes, since cooperation between workers and employers has largely survived the crisis.

`'The employers speak the same language as we do and we understand each other's needs and demands," said Joergen Frederiksen, a 69-year-old retired worker and former shop steward. `'There are good vibes between us and that means a lot."

[olyboy]

Coming soon to city near you courtesy of Obama and his idiot followers. There is no free lunch, you get what YOU pay for, etc.

[chevyhotrod]

BishopRobme replies:decent people who want to restore their nations to the Clinton era prosperity brought on by fair regulation, and taxation, as well as equal rights for all citizens.

You mean after 1994 when the GOP took over the House & Senate and we had a balanced budget by 1998?

In 1997, Clinton signed a reduction in the (audible liberal gasp) capital gains tax rate to 20% from 28%.
The 1997 tax cuts also included a phased in increase in the death tax exemption to $1 million from $600,000, and established Roth IRAs and increased the limits for deductible IRAs.

BishopRobme replies:In defiance of the Fascists, and to express their human rights, even though the Fascists monitor their speech on social media, and their movements with GPS."

Fascism advocates a state-controlled and regulated mixed economy; the principal economic goal of fascism is to achieve autarky to secure national self-sufficiency and independence, through protectionist and interventionist economic policies. It promotes regulated private enterprise and private property contingent whenever beneficial to the nation and state enterprise and state property whenever necessary to protect its interests.

How many pages was the Healthcare Law (ACA)?
How many pages was the Financial Law (Dodd-Frank)?
How many pages was the stimulus Law?

Under Obama, 11,327 Pages of Federal Regulations Added
September 10, 2012

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/under-obama-11327-pages-federal-regulations-added

[chevyhotrod]

Congress controls the purse strings, not Presidents. With a 2/3 majority, a President can be made completely irrelivant.

Now with President Obama, you get the opposite of what President Clinton did.

[PourpaixPourpaix]

I agree that Europe's woes are a harbinger of our own future in America. It is not just because we happen to have a Democrat in the White House. When the GOP artificially propped up the economy during Bush's term to avoid economic woes during wartime, it delayed the downside of the economic cycle. That means you put off a mild recession and instead opt for a far worse recession later. When the harder recession hit later, all the tax reductions failed to bring in enough money to help the overload of people suddenly needing help, made worse by Obama spending money like a mall rat trying to avoid another Great Depression.

The moral of the story is that there are times for austerity. Tightening the ole belt a little bit is not so bad. If we put it off, the belt has to be tightened even more later. Put it off too long, and radical measures like we see now in Europe become necessary, and chaos ensues. Everybody becomes desperate, everybody claims their right to the last cow slaughtered, and really bad things happen.

It's time for the GOP to realize that sometimes it is necessary to raise taxes to pay for stuff. The rich have the most to lose. If they are too stupid to see the warning signs, just study the French or Russian revolution for 10 minutes. And we also have to be very judicial with our spending. Can't stop preventing starvation, but make sure we don't just keep shoveling money into the toilet.

[chevyhotrod]

actornaught replies: European countries are dominated by actual conservative governments, not the rage comedy fueled phony foxrush self-identified "conservatives" in the US.

_____________________

So people don't even know how to read:

"Europe has been a global trailblazer for union action and workers' rights over the past half century have been one of the cornerstones of the continent's vaunted welfare state, with its guaranteed medical care, unemployment benefits and often generous pensions."

These type of policies will bring this:

"The result has been a dramatic drop in living standards in many nations that leaders have accepted as collateral for policies they claim are unavoidable. With no end in sight to the economic misery, workers were trying to take a stand on Wednesday."

-----------------

The only country that is even close to being a converative nation is Germany with Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, just as in the past with Britains Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher

Spain, Greece, France conservative nations.....what a joke...blind leading the blind.

"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery."

Winston Churchill

Wake up America, coming soon to the American shores....

"Most European governments have in recent years had to cut spending, pensions and benefits and raise taxes aggressively to bring public debt under control."

They don't have a choice, nobody will loan them anymore money.

[Plumbline9]

Luke 21:25
[ The Coming of the Son of Man ] "And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring;

[MidRoadAlone]

You may consider this a preview of what is coming for the US. Now that we have a social left leaning leadership back in place, more and more money will be going to "entitlements". The national debt will probably go up 10 trillion this time around.

And you can't tax the 1% out of existence - they will leave the country first and take their businesses with them. (Check the number of rich French who are bailing out of Paris - with their money - to avoid the 75% tax) Obamacare alone will probably cost tens of thousands their full time (>30 hours per week) job. Papa John made his intentions public, most companies won't, they will just do it quietly.

I know people right now who can't afford health insurance, and Obamacare subsidies won't help - most will end up paying the $1200 tax - which they can't afford either. I know of two young people who voluntarily cut their work hours to be eligible for Medicaid - they incorrectly thought the Obamacare tax kicked in this year.

Look at where we are with school teacher, police, fireman, and the military with twenty year retirements and full health - cities are already going bankrupt - the country is not that far behind.

You think we won't see riots if those pensions and healthcare are cut or eliminated?

Look at the union at Hostess - they would rather see the company close than give in anymore. My brother-in-law belonged to a similar union - they struck, they eventually closed the business twenty years ago and he spent the last years of his life working at odd jobs for minimum wage - union dues well spent - the national union actually stopped supporting the workers after about three years on strike - it was costing too much in sub-pay.

[hypnotoad72]

Germany is socialist and they're doing okay.

China is communist, and is doing great - thanks to "American" companies giving them every job as fast as possible, at taxpayer expense (on top of the usual welfare subsidies those companies enjoy).

If companies don't value work, since we're all in this together, given that Americans used to wave big flags about living free and enjoying freedom, you may be free to be a slave.

[moshe05]

seriously, haven't you losers given up on projecting how things will turn out? from 'our troops will be treated as liberators' to romney's 'shellshock' at losing a race he was widely predicted to lose, the track record of the right is worse than pathetic. unless they do some serious work (for the first time in their lives, clearly), Rs will lose the house in 2014.

[quincytodd]

This is just more evidence that the Eurozone needs to be dissovled once and for all! As Napoleon Bonaparte, Adolf Hitler and later the Communists in Eastern Europe have found out, uniting Europe is not nor ever has been a good idea!

[hypnotoad72]

Just wait - if you think "globalization" is bad now, a "one size fits all economic plan on these disparate nations"... oh, wait, globalization is the Eurozone on steroids!


Don't forget "American" communists, who decide to devalue work, forget merit pay, and offshore to communist countries to exploit and profiteer from...

[Predictor]

BishopRobme: I think your description of events is rather colored. One aspect of the evolving situation which you neglect to mention is the simple question of budget. The industrialized countries have, in one way or another, been borrowing against their own futures. It is simply not possibly to have all the goodies which these countries have lavished upon themselves without eventually paying for it. I suggest that the rapid change seen today is not the result of any dark kabal of the 1%, but rather the bill finally coming due.

[lillyhorton]

You could be right. I am am wondering though what those goodies were. Pensions? Health care? Education? Or was it Christmas decore for the cities? State fairs? Flag ceremonies? In Spain do both parents work like in the US or just one? 25% unemployment is horrible.

[hypnotoad72]

Borrowing from the future while letting revenue go overseas. As usual, you refuse to look at ALL elements. Start reading our posts, or going back to when more of us posted more often, for other perspectives you clearly are ignoring.