Thousands march in Getafe, Madrid and other cities in support of ‘Airbus 8’ strikers on first day of trial

Supporters of 'Airbus 8' march in Getafe and cities nationwide Tuesday. Photo: El Español
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• Labour leaders, politicians join marchers in national ‘right to strike’ protest •

Labour leaders and politicians from Spain’s principal left-wing parties joined thousands of activists marching Tuesday to support the “Airbus Eight,” a group of eight workers at the Airbus factory in Getafe, just outside Madrid, on the first day of their trail for alleged violence on a picket line during a nationwide general strike in September 2010.

The “Airbus Eight” were among 500 Airbus workers picketing at aircraft manufacturer’s factory gates in Getafe on the day of the general strike and were routed by riot police using rubber bullets, with seven people injured in the melee that ensued. The eight workers, charged with “acting with violence” and “attacking the right to work” under a Franco-era law that punishes striking workers with prison sentences, each face up to eight years and three months in prison, if convicted.

Under banners that read “They are not 8. We are millions” and calling for a repeal of the Franco-era law, marchers in Getafe, Madrid and other cities nationwide were joined Tuesday by leaders of Spain’s principal left-wing parties, including Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias, PSOE organization secretry Cesar Luena, and United Left (UI) federal coordinator Cayo Lara.

► Read the Full Story in Spanish at El Español …

► Read the Full Story in English at TeleSur TV …

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