Strikes, demonstrations across Europe challenge austerity regime

Unions held strikes and demonstrations across Europe on November 14 in response to the call by the ETUC for a day of action to highlight rejection of the EU's devastating austerity regime and demands for a radical change of course. The call for a general strike was widely followed in Spain and Portugal; Italy's CGIL held a 4-hour work stoppage and unions organized demonstrations from Palermo to Milan; unions in Greece stopped work for 3 hours, only a little over a week following a 48-hour national general strike; and Belgian transport unions took industrial action. In France, union demonstrations place in some 100 cities and towns. In all, action involving millions of people, from strikes to demonstrations, took place in some two dozen countries, and unions in many countries were joined by a diverse range of civil society groups.

Demonstrators fill central Madrid

IUF UK affiliate Unite, in a statement of solidarity with workers across Europe, said "As European trade unions we must build on today's Day of Action, strengthen our solidarity and fight for a change in the disastrous policies being pursued by the European Commission and Member States. We need a real alternative based on solidarity that puts investment and reinvigorating growth at the centre of its agenda."