Thousands march across Spain on May Day marked by women’s rights

The gender pay gap and pensions were the overriding themes at the rallies held across Spain to observe International Workers Day on Tuesday.

Thousands of people marched in all the major cities in demonstrations that were largely organized by Spain’s two main labor unions, CC OO and UGT. Workers’ representatives are calling for pay hikes to reflect the rising cost of living, and warning that failure to more evenly redistribute the wealth of an improving economy could result in social unrest.

Camil Ros, secretary general of UGT in Catalonia, on Tuesday dropped hints about the possibility of a nationwide stoppage. “It is necessary to change the Popular Party [PP] government through mobilizations, and if necessary, a general strike,” he said.

Women’s rights took center stage this year, riding high on a wave of public support. Spain was the only country to organize a national strike on March 8, International Women’s Day, and feminist groups last week led nationwide protests over the verdict in a recent rape trial. In Barcelona and elsewhere, many protesters held signs that referenced the trial, known as the La Manada case.

“On this May 1, the big stars of the day are the fight for pensions and, above all, feminism,” tweeted Iñigo Errejón, a top official at the anti-austerity Podemos party. “This is the guarantee of a dignified country, one with a future, with equality and with rights. Pride!”

Unai Sordo, the head of CCOO, asked “for the streets to fill up with people in order to shake up the comfort zone that [employers’ associations] CEOE and Cepyme are basking in thanks to the government’s labor reform.”

“We are aware that street mobilizations are the leverage that enables policy changes,” said Pepe Álvarez, secretary general of UGT. “Spain hasn’t been in a situation like this in a long time,” he added, alluding to recent protests to demand gender equality and better pensions.

In April, the leaders of CCOO and UGT warned that unless something is done to improve wages and reduce precariousness, it could lead to social unrest.

“We are starting to see indignation, anger and impotence. Either growth is shared out, or there’s going to be conflict,” warned Sordo and Álvarez at the time.

Spain’s third-largest union, USO, said it will seek pay raises based on the CPI cost-of-living index plus four percentage points.

“They’re selling us the story of an economic recovery that is not reaching the workers,” said USO leader Joaquín Pérez, who also had words of criticism for the two big labor unions. “They’ve proven that they have not been especially useful as a counterweight.”

English version by Susana Urra.