Palma

Yesterday’s protest in Palma.

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterPalma16/02/2018 00:00
TW
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Balearic union leaders and public sector workers yesterday mounted a protest outside the Consolat de Mar government headquarters in protest against the proposed public pension reforms which, at the moment, include an increase of just 0.25 per cent. The pension reforms are part of the minority Partido Poular central government’s labour reform package, which has been heavily criticised by the unions and opposition political parties.

There are over 9.3 million working people are at risk of poverty in Spain, hence the concern over state pensions. The PSOE socialist party has condemned the labour reforms of Prime Minister Rajoy, claiming that they they have significantly increased poverty and inequality in the country. PSOE spokesperson and Congress member, Margarita Robles, said that 15 per cent of workers in the country are at risk of poverty and being paid salaries that are not enough to cover basic needs.

Robles added that the situation for women is getting increasingly worse. Because of changes in 2012 to the labour market by the governing PP, one and a half million Spaniards make less than the minimum monthly salary. Almost one million workers cannot meet the costs of food and rent. “The worst form of poverty is that suffered by those who have no jobs,” she emphasised. Just last week, the Adecco Foundation found that over 9.3 million working people are at risk of living in poverty in Spain.