The Asturian Miners strike

[PaddyJoe]

The strike is now in the third week and the Madrid government is still refusing to negotiate on cuts of 63% in subsidies to the coal industry which will lead to thousands of job losses.
It's worth recalling that there is long tradition of opposition amongst the mining villages of Asturias.
In 1934 almost 2000 died in a revolt put down by the army and a strike in 1963 was the first against Franco's dictatorship.
There's some amazing photos here on the website of local newspaper leonoticias.com:
http://www.leonoticias.com/frontend/...n100501-vst445

[CMK]

The strike is now in the third week and the Madrid government is still refusing to negotiate on cuts of 63% in subsidies to the coal industry which will lead to thousands of job losses.
It's worth recalling that there is long tradition of opposition amongst the mining villages of Asturias.
In 1934 almost 2000 died in a revolt put down by the army and a strike in 1963 was the first against Franco's dictatorship.
There's some amazing photos here on the website of local newspaper leonoticias.com:
http://www.leonoticias.com/frontend/...n100501-vst445

Jaysus, it's only a hop, skip and a jump to AK47s and RPGs. Those guys look like they could and would use them. Victory to the Asturian Miners!

[PaddyJoe]

The miners' wifes, partners and daughters travelled to Madrid today to protest and got thrown out of the Senate for their pains:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6fwZsNK3n8&feature=player_embedded"]Las Mujeres de los Mineros desalojadas del senado - YouTube[/ame]

[Ogiol]

Fair play to them. Lets hope there's sufficient soladarity from other sectors of downtrodden society. Not too sure all or the majority of the indignats will be with them tho. What you think PJ?

[eamo]

The miners' wifes, partners and daughters travelled to Madrid today to protest and got thrown out of the Senate for their pains:
Las Mujeres de los Mineros desalojadas del senado - YouTube

Angry women standing up for themselves and their families. GREAT!!

Can we have some of that sort of thing here please.

[C. Flower]

GO las Muheras!

[PaddyJoe]

Fair play to them. Lets hope there's sufficient soladarity from other sectors of downtrodden society. Not too sure all or the majority of the indignats will be with them tho. What you think PJ?

For starters this strike hasn't had a lot of coverage in the mainstream media in Spain. It has been squeezed out to a large extent because everything has been dominated by the rescate over the last couple of weeks.
It's been relegated to a local side show at the moment.

[fluffybiscuits]

63% drop in subsidies ! This is going to push people to the brink. I wish them the best of luck in their endeavours. Screw the establishment...

[Ogiol]

For starters this strike hasn't had a lot of coverage in the mainstream media in Spain. It has been squeezed out to a large extent because everything has been dominated by the rescate over the last couple of weeks.
It's been relegated to a local side show at the moment.

That and the Eurocopa! Nothing like sports to distract the ppl. Pan y Circo!

[PaddyJoe]

Coverage in the Guardian:

Eighty miners are setting out on the 248-mile journey from Mieres, a town near the Asturian capital, Oviedo. The "black march" will cover 19 stages, with miners joining from León, Teruel and Palencia along the way. Around 200 are expected to arrive in the Spanish capital next month, one of many acts planned to protest at the proposed 63% cuts in coal subsidies already approved by the EU.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012...-protest-march

[PaddyJoe]

Pitched battles today as the Guardia Civil take over the mining town of Ciñera. No movement on negotiation from the government.
http://www.lasextanoticias.com/video..._cinera/617813

[PaddyJoe]

Getting ugly tonight near the town of Pola de Lenas in Asturias. Residents claim that the Guardia Civil moved in after nightfall and started firing teargas and rubber bullets.
#resistenciaminera #PoladeLena

[PaddyJoe]

These daily battles in mining towns are getting no coverage on Spanish TV. Might be related to the PP clearing out the management in the last couple of months. The head of News and Current Affairs for RTVE is now a guy who earned doctoral points for his thesis a few years ago on how the PP should go about winning back power from the PSOE.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OPbV...ature=youtu.be

[Sam Lord]

Pitched battles today as the Guardia Civil take over the mining town of Ciñera. No movement on negotiation from the government.
http://www.lasextanoticias.com/video..._cinera/617813

Shocking footage. They are attacking entire communities. It reminded me of the early days of the conflict in the North.

[Sam Lord]

http://www.leonoticias.com/frontend/...n100501-vst445

I liked the slogan on one guys T-Shirt.

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Iron fists if they touch my people.