Unions call for no budget cuts after health crisis on Labor Day

Catalonia's main unions called for no budget cuts or austerity after the health crisis during Labor Day.

Talking in front of Hospital del Mar, in Barcelona, the head of UGT and CCOO in Catalonia, Camil Ros and Javier Pacheco, respectively, demanded strengthening public services.

"The way out cannot be poverty," said Ros, asking for a basic income so that all households make ends meet, and for the extension of the temporary redundancy scheme special conditions.

"Budget cuts kill. We have to be able to point out the value of our public, essential services and decent work," added Pacheco.

They both especially thanked the effort of healthcare workers. "We have seen how people who had to heal the disease was suffering themselves lack of health and safety," said CCOO's leader.

They also said that not everyone is being affected the same way by Covid-19: "People without resources is getting more ill," emphasized Pacheco. Both workers' leaders said that the system is still carrying the "inequality" worsened by the 2008 financial crisis.

No demonstrations

This is the first Labor Day in decades with no workers fighting for their rights in the streets.

Covid-19 forced rallies to be cancelled, but a "virtual demonstration" was held online from 1.30pm local time – unions across Spain called on the public to upload pictures promoting hashtags such as #1MaySolidarity, #JoSóc1deMaig, #YoSoy1deMayo, #1deMayo and #1deMaig.

The union IAC will also host a demonstration on balconies at 6pm.