100,000 Portuguese workers protest budget cuts

[struggle4progress]

www.chinaview.cn 2007-03-03 11:12:20

LISBON, March 2 (Xinhua) -- More than 100,000 Portuguese workers on Friday demonstrated in the streets of Lisbon against budget cuts proposed by Prime Minister Jose Socrates, which could lead to an end of emergency services at some public hospitals.

"The government and the leaders of this country should take a look at people's discontent. This demonstration is bigger than the Oct. 12 demonstration and Jose Socrates has not listened as he should have done," said a leading marcher.

"Government policies are not serving the nation," said Deolinda Machado, a leader of Inter-Union Platform, "the workers are defending their rights and demanding new policies."

Workers chanted slogans such as "this must change" and "the fight goes on", as they marched along Avenida Liberdade, in the center of Lisbon ...

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-03/03/content_5795233.htm