Miners strike not a minor struggle

Jun 21

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Miners strike not a minor struggle

Spanish workers protest harsh cuts to mining industry.

A coal miner uses a plank to make a burning barricade in front of the main gate of the "Pozo Santiago" mine in Caborana, northern Spain. [Reuters]

A coal miner’s strike in Spain took a violent turn in recent days as law enforcement officials and strikers clashed in the mining areas of Asturias and León. About 8,000 miners have been striking since late May over fears that the government’s planned subsidy cuts to the mining sector will result in lost jobs. The proposed cuts are part of larger austerity measures to reduce the national deficit. The miners argue that the government is targeting the working class while bailing out the country's big banks.

View the story "Miners strike not a minor struggle" on StorifyMiners strike not a minor struggleSpanish workers protest harsh cuts to mining industry.Storified by The Stream · Wed, Jun 20 2012 18:58:31undefinedTumblrIn a recent escalation of violence, officials fired rubber bullets and tear gas while miners have begun using slingshots and homemade rockets, as seen in this photo from Ana Ortiz Garcia.
undefinedAkamaihdOn June 7 miners and law enforcement officials clashed in Leon. Los mineros hacen retroceder a la Guardia Civil a pedradas Ciñera, León #ResistenciaMineraantenapezIn Asturias, another important mining area in northwest Spain, miners barricaded motorways by burning tires as law enforcement shot rubber bullets at the strikers and arrested two people.Batalla campal mineros vs Guardia Civil en los montes de Asturias 2 detenidos #ResistenciaMineraantenapezViolence has ebbed and flowed since the strikes began in late May. These photos from June 12 show miners protesting peacefully in the streets of León.Las luces de los mineros iluminan la noche de León. #lucesparaelcarbon http://pic.twitter.com/rO0NaB4dAcampadabcnhttp://pic.twitter.com/hDf9rnvTBierzoThis video from the same night shows miners chanting and protesting peacefully.HUELGA MINERIA 2012muzzlyUnion leaders called for a large-scale, organized strike on June 18 which had high turnouts:12k people marching in Leon, #Spain against cuts to mining sector. Unions report full adherence to mining general strike. #resistenciamineraDavid FerreiraMiners' wives also joined the protests by demonstrating in front of the Senate building.undefinedTumblrAitana tweets, "Today at 18:00 miners' wives stood in front of the Senate. They ask for solidarity and support. Pass it on! #ResistenciaMinera".Hoy a las 18:00 las mujeres de mineros estarán frente al Senado Madrid, Metro Ópera. Piden solidaridad y apoyo ¡PÁSALO! #ResistenciaMineraAitana Castaño DíazIn this video, miners track down and confront the mayor of Ponferrada, a city in the León province, demanding a reversal of the subsidy cuts. El alcalde de Ponferrada es agredido por los mineros #ResistenciaMineraantenapezThis cartoon by Ferran Martín argues that Spanish law enforcement officials will crack down on protesters more readily if protests are passive and peaceful, referring to those staged by students and the "indignants" over the past year. The cartoon on the right shows law enforcement officials running away to avoid conflict as miners react more aggressively.undefinedTumblrSome noted the aggressive tactics used by the miners and their effectiveness in keeping enforcement officials at bay:not your everyday headline: striking miner detained for launching rockets at a police helicopter: http://www.diariodesevilla.es/article/economia/1288291/detenido/minero/por/lanzar/cohetes/helicoptero/la/guardia/civil.html #resistenciamineraDavid FerreiraMore burning blockades today, police keep their distance after #Ciñera yesterday. Images and video soon @Report_Digital #resistenciamineraJason N. ParkinsonLike several other eurozone countries, Spain is implementing austerity measures due to its burgeoning budget deficit, currently at 6.4 per cent of its gross domestic product. The government has felt pressure to reduce its deficit after missing its target of a 5.3 per cent GDP deficit for fiscal year 2012. undefinedActing-man
Spain topped a "Misery Index" in 2010 which measured countries with the highest combined fiscal deficit and unemployment rate. Spain has had to deal with rapidly increasing joblessness, with some estimates as high as 25 per cent.undefinedMercopressPaco Arnau labeled the strikes as a class struggle. His tweet roughly translates, "To those who tremble before the #ResistenciaMinera (miner's resistance), this is a class struggle, sorry".A los "equidistantes" y a los que les tiemblan las piernas ante la #ResistenciaMinera: Esto es lucha de clases, disculpen las molestias.Paco ArnauThis banner from a strike says, "We miners want to work. We are not bankers. We do not want to rob". A los de arriba sí se les salva A los de abajo,se les jode a base d recortes y quitarles el pan En fin.. @marianorajoy http://pic.twitter.com/LPsYmb66BierzoDavid Ferreira predicts the miners strike will continue to build momentum as the government moves forward with subsidy cuts.upper house in Spain is supposed to finalize large cuts to mining sector today. will only increase resistance not end it. #resistenciamineraDavid Ferreira

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