Thousands of people have taken to the streets of Vigo this Wednesday, in a mobilization called by UGT and CC.OO. within the framework of the general strike day, to demand that democracy "is defended in the street": "Being a landlord is not a profession".
The march began at around 11:30 a.m. at the intersection of Vía Norte with Urzaiz, advancing by half an hour over another protest promoted by the CIG a few meters higher up, on the same road, which had set its start time at 12:00 p.m.
Amid heavy rain, the demonstrators moved through the city center to the cries of "Being a landlord is not a profession"; "What’s happening, what’s happening, we don’t have a house", or "It’s criminals to cut back on healthcare", until they reached the Delegation of the Xunta in the olive-city.
The general secretary of CC.OO. Galicia, Amelia Pérez, and the head of UGT, Cristóbal Medeiros, positioned themselves at the front of the mobilization, stressing that the strike represents the "finishing touch" to the actions of the past weeks following the eviction of Maricarmen.
Pérez has assessed that the previous night passed "calmly", ensuring that most companies in Galicia remained closed, although she has admitted that some "excessive" police charges occurred, which she does not share. "For those who criticize the strike, we have to tell them that democracy is defended not only in the ballot boxes, but also in the streets," she stressed.
Medeiros expressed himself in similar terms, who has criticized the statements of the leader of Vox, Santiago Abascal, and, especially, those of the president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, for having described the unions as "garbage".
"Do they think we’re going to be afraid?" he asked, emphasizing that "it’s them who have to be afraid" and calling on them to accept the reality of the "workers’ struggle" that demands "dignity, a roof and decent wages".
Political support for the trade-union protest
The call by UGT and CC.OO. included the presence of the leader of the PSdeG, José Ramón Gómez Besteiro, who has linked the strike and the elections of November 29 to the same dilemma: "Rights or cuts". "The 11N is about that, about defending workers’ rights, and the 29N is also about that. Rights or cuts. Each one will know where they want to be," he reiterated.
"Saying that the PP is the party of the workers is like saying that the fox is there to defend the hens," he added, answering in this way to the words of the general secretary of the PP, Miguel Tellado.
Besteiro has been accompanied by several socialist leaders, including the heads of list for the Congress and the Senate for Pontevedra, Abel Losada and Carmela Silva, respectively, as well as by the mayor of Vigo, Abel Caballero.
The Vigo councillor has highlighted the purpose of the march, focused on housing, pensions, employment and wages, insisting that economic growth must be passed on to all members of the public.
Also joining is the spokesperson for Frente Amplio in Galicia, Paulo Carlos López, who has backed the mobilization "against speculation, for the right to housing, against the PP policies in the regional governments that are the main responsible for the housing situation".
From his formation he has called to back the strike and the protests because "there are other possible policies" in housing matters, that include control of tourist flats, the extension of rental contracts and "much more" public housing.