CCOO and UGT have unanimously approved the call for a general strike in Spain against the labour reform, the date set according to sources of both unions, is Thursday 29th March 2012. The date chosen, coincides with the general strike called by nationalist unions in the Basque country and Navarra against the labour reform and it is also the day prior to the submission of the State Budget for 2012.

The general secretaries of the CCOO and UGT, Ignacio Fernandez Toxo and Candido Mendez, will offer a press conference today at 13:15 hours to report the reasons that led them to decide to strike.

Unions consider the labour reform approved by the PP government unilaterally as “the most regressive” for the rights of workers and since its launch and have been carrying out demonstrations, rallies and other protests in the streets of Spain. Although calling a general strike at any time was dismissed, the intention has always been to stop the reform before having to make this decision.

This will be the sixth 24-hour general strike in the history of Spain and the second ehich is called under a PP (Partido Popular) government. The first three strikes in Spain took place during the government of Felipe Gonzalez. The first in , the second in 1988 and the third in 1994. In 2002, under the goverment of José María Aznar, CC.OO. and UGT led a general strike called to protest the measures to reform the unemployment protection and Basic Employment Law. The fourth strike in a socialist government was held on September 29, 2010, under the watch of Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.

In addition to these strikes, in 1978 and 1992 there were two general strikes of an hour and half a day duration, respectively. In 1978 the unions took to the streets motivated by a European call, while in 1992 it was due to the cuts in unemployment benefits proposed by Felipe González which caused the strike.

Related story – General strike 29th September 2010

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