Spanish to strike for rural economy

The two main Spanish trade union confederations have called for a general strike in large parts of the Spanish countryside on 20 February. The CCOO and UGT are protesting against the removal of government support for many agricultural workers.

Farm workers, whose employment is temporary, have lost the right to government payments for the period when they are not working and have to rely on more limited unemployment benefits. (These changes apply to new entrants to the scheme; existing recipients have their rights protected.)

The loss of this support is a major threat to the rural economy of two of Spain's poorest regions, Andalucia and Extremadura.

The new rules were introduced in May last year with other general changes in employment rights.

Opposition from the unions, including a general strike in June, led the government to withdraw almost all of them in October, retaing only the cut in support for farm workers.