More reasons than ever to protest

Gone are the years when the events of May 1 were filled with banners denouncing redundancy and layoffs, but there still exist many issues to protest. “There is much talk of the economic recovery, and that may be, but what I see is that things are very insecure and yet the message is that at least there is work so we shouldn’t complain,” said Ricardo, aged 58, yesterday . “I and my colleagues are here because we work in research and for four years we have been trying to negotiate a collective agreement to improve our working conditions which are very bad,” said 37-year-old Berta, just a few metres away. Just two of the voices at the May Day demonstration called by trade unions. Despite the long weekend and the weather, more than 30,000 people turned out in Barcelona according to organizers, 8,000 according to police.

The two leaders of the main unions, UGT and CCOO, Javier Pacheco and Camil Ros stressed that the two years of economic recovery have not had any effect on the working classes and that patience was running thin. Both demanded that the new prosperity pass down through all levels of the workforce. As well, both slammed the insecurity of newly created employment and short term contracts.

Other issues were on the table as well. Catalonia, without a government, was experiencing democratic regression and Camiil Ros called for the formation of a government without delay. Pacheco criticised the democratic failings in the protection of rights throughout Spain.

As in other parts of the country, women were at the forefront of the march calling for equality in the workplace both in working conditions and salaries but more than anything, for an end to gender violence and abuse.