Zapatero to meet with unions

 

Just 48 hours after Spain's general strike, the government emphasised how it wanted to resume talks with the main unions, but only with regards to the issue of pensions and not about the labour reforms as a whole.

Vice-president María Teresa Fernández de la Vega has previously acknowledged that there are 'deep discrepancies' between the government and the union, but that it is possible to arrive at a solution.

She assured the unions that the government intends to make a supreme effort to ensure that talks are resumed, but that that currently they would continue to press on with the labour reform, labelling the 'the right thing to do'.

The leader of the PP opposition party has ctitisised the talks, saying how it that "makes no sense" after the general strike, which he described as a "failure" both for the government and for the union leaders.

Rajoy also reminded the press and the public of the aims of the socialists' electoral programme back in 2008, which included full employment and social rights.

The president of the Federation of Self-Employed workers (ATA) Lorenzo Amor said that from his members' point of view yesterday's general strike had been "pointless" as nothing had really changed, and "everything will carry on as before".