Spain's unions protest austerity measures

 

Several thousand workers are braving cold weather in several cities around Spain to protest the government's austerity measures and its plans to extend retirement age.

The marches on Saturday were organized by Spain's main trade unions, the General Workers' Union and Comisiones Obreras.

Spain is striving to emerge from two years of recession and has an euro-zone high unemployment rate of 20 percent.

Spain's prime minister said Friday the government is determined to raise the retirement age to 67 from 65 in the new year despite resistance from opposition parties and labor unions who are also threatening a general strike.

Spain's central bank and other financial institutions have urged the government to make the changes as part of structural reforms.