Madrid metro to strike on Wednesday and Friday

Further strikes on the Madrid metro are to take place on Wednesday and Friday of this week, according to the unions behind the action.

Workers have downed tools over plans to reduce their wages by five per cent, in line with government recommendations that all civil servants should take a pay-cut to mop up the state deficit.

The metro employees have little support from the president of the Comunidad de Madrid, Esperanza Aguirre, since she points out that public sector workers have jobs for life and that the 20 per cent of Spanish residents currently unemployed would happily take a five-per-cent wage cut to be able to carry on working.

On these two days, only 'minimum services' – meaning rush-hour transport – will be available.

Trains will only run between 06.00hrs and 09.00hrs, and between 18.00hrs and 21.00hrs.

But workers call the requirement to respect minimum services 'abusive'.Around 2,000 strikers attended today's meeting to discuss the matter. Reporters were allegedly shoved out of the room and insulted.