Transport strike over lack of jobs to bring Spain to a halt

A GENERAL transport strike will cause chaos across Spain this Thursday, with air, bus and train traffic severely limited as unions protest at high unemployment and changes to labour laws that will make it cheaper for companies to lay off employees.

The unions, which represent one in five Spanish workers, and the government agreed to retain minimum transport services for Thursday, including only 20 per cent of flights between Spanish and other European airports.

Commuter and subway trains will operate at 35 per cent of normal during peak hours, and 30 per cent during non-peak hours.

Buses will also run at a level much lower than normal.

Only 10 per cent of flights between destinations on the Spanish mainland will operate, and 50 per cent of flights between the mainland and Spanish islands.

The strikes are expected to cause disruption to tourists.