Mass strikes, protests hit Italy, Spain over EU-imposed austerity

Called by the CGIL union, the eight-hour strike against a fresh €45.5 billion austerity package hit both public and private sector operations, shutting down transport throughout much of the country and grounding planes.

Some 3 million workers stayed off the job, with Rome seeing an estimated 70,000-strong mobilisation. Around 35,000 Ryanair passengers were hit by the cancellation of 200 flights.

The leader of CGIL, Susanna Camusso, threatened additional industrial action if the measures are not withdrawn.

However, two other Italian unions, the CISL and the UIL, refused to join their colleagues in the streets, arguing that the current economic situation was too precarious for such action.

The unions are opposed both to the cuts and structural changes that hit job protections, allowing businesses to abandon centrally agreed national labour contracts, enabling them to fire workers more easily.

Conservative economists argue that such measures will help moderate wage demands, making Italian businesses more competitive.

Meanwhile, as markets continue to be spooked by divisions in Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s government, the Italian leader announced on Tuesday that the austerity measures, introduced by emergency decree but requiring parliamentary endorsement, are to be put to a vote of confidence in the Senate.

As a loss of such a vote would mean the fall of the government, the move is expected to ensure its passage.

Berlusconi’s coalition allies in the hard-right Northern League are opposed to efforts to raise the retirement age of women while the opposition centre-left has said the measures should be made more “equitable” but does not argue against the overall strategy.

The package is expected to be endorsed by the end of the week.

Italy’s strike came as it emerged that Germany’s European commissioner, Guenter Oettinger, lashed out at Rome for its “misrule”.

Speaking to a meeting of German business associations in Berlin, the commissioner had “acted irresponsibly” and had “duped” the European Central Bank into buying its bonds.

Separately in Spain on Tuesday, thousands of workers marched through Madrid against the country’s own austerity measures and a change to the constitution that would introduce a cap on government spending.

The unions and the country’s movement of ‘indignados’ - mostly young people hit hard by the country’s record 43 percent unemployment rate - are demanding a referendum on the measure, which they say is being rammed through parliament and endangers social programmes.

Spain’s upper house is due to vote on the constitutional change on Wednesday.