Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/662/11430
From The Socialist newspaper, 16 March 2011
Huge protests against job insecurity
OVER 300,000 people took to the streets in Lisbon and ten other Portuguese cities on Saturday 12 March to protest against unemployment and job insecurity. 200,000 people demonstrated in Lisbon and another 80,000 in Portugal's second city Porto.
27 year-old Joao Labrincha, who is unemployed and one of the organisers, said: "Half of Portugal's active population is either unemployed or precarious [on temporary contracts], which shows that the situation is untenable."
Official unemployment stands at 11%, some 620,000 people, of whom nearly half are under 35 and more than 10% are graduates.
The right-wing PS minority government passed a savage austerity budget last November in order to satisfy the demands of international finance capital and the EU to reduce the budget deficit. This led to a three million-strong general strike, organised by the trade unions.
Speculation has increased recently that Portugal will follow Greece and Ireland in being forced to accept a bailout by the EU and IMF.
- In Italy, a 24-hour general strike involving public and private sector workers, protesting against job insecurity, poor working conditions and privatisation of public services, took place on Friday 11 March.
Public transport systems in many cities were brought to a halt. In January the unemployment rate reached 8.6% with nearly 30% of unemployed Italians under the age of 24.
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In The Socialist 16 March 2011:
Anti-cuts campaign
Defend jobs and services: Protest 26 March
Building the battle against the cuts - now and beyond 26 March
Campaigning against all cuts and privatisation
Socialist Party news and analysis
Hutton's plans mean savage cuts - Fight to defend your pension!
Vote for a socialist alternative
Huge protests against job insecurity
The rich get richer - by another $1 trillion
Youth fight for jobs
March from Jarrow with Youth Fight for Jobs
For real jobs not exploitation
Socialist Party workplace news
Northern Ireland: Broad left gains in union elections
Privatisation threat to the blood service?
Defend jobs and education at Newcastle College
Action called off by Birmingham bin workers
Left victory in building workers' union
International socialist news and analysis
Japan: Tsunami results in misery for millions
Workers hit hard by earthquake and tsunami
Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories: "We'll struggle like in Egypt"
Tunisia: 'You come back - we come back'
Saudi troops to suppress Bahrain protesters
Socialist Party campaigns
Thousands protest against Lib Dems in Sheffield
Protester challenges Lib Dem MP to debate
Lively discussion at LGBT meeting
Leeds: Celebrating International Women's Day
Celebrate International Workers' Day in the Socialist with a May Day greeting
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