Spain on Strike, Where Union Isn't a Dirty Word

It’s a very remarkable feeling to read the Guardian’s ongoing account of today’s general strike in Spain. If this were happening in the U.S., it would have been like, “COPS SKIRMISH WITH JOBLESS UNIONS” or something inexplicable and misguided. Over there, it’s like, “This is what workers are protesting, and also the cops hit this one dude at a peaceful labor protest.” (The Times however did a nice job this morning.) The general strike is focused on the new government’s response to the crippling recession and high unemployment, which has as a central component easing of employment laws, so that it will be easier to make more people unemployed or cut worker wages. I’d totally move to the EU, except I guess there won’t be an EU by the time I can get over there.