Protests over education cuts will continue promise unions

SPAIN – Tens of thousands marched in Madrid Saturday 18 December against cuts by the right-wing regional government to state education, capping four months of protests and nine days of strikes this year. The education unions CCOO, UGT y STEM that organised the demonstrations promised more actions in the New Year. The Madrid regional government, runs by the Popular Party, wants to save  Euros 80 million by cuts to teaching jobs, pay and conditions, and collective bargaining rights are also under threat, say the unions. Critics fear the new national government of the Popular Party, which in local administrations has been most zealous in slashing education budgets, plans to privatise parts of the education system.