Spanish public sector to strike against austerity plan

Spanish public sector workers are holding a strike in protest against an average 5% cut in pay that comes into effect this month.

The cuts are part of a government austerity package aimed at reducing the country's budget deficit, swollen by almost two years of recession.
The protests come amid a European debt crisis that began in Greece.
Tuesday's strikes have been called by Spain's biggest trade unions.
More than 2.5 million Spaniards work in the public sector, and the trade unions hope hundreds of thousands will join this strike - from hospitals and schools, fire stations and local government...
In May, Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero announced a 5% cut in public sector pay, starting this month. Salaries will be frozen in 2011.
There were also big cuts in public investment and development aid. Some pensions were frozen.

hold a strike = hacer huelga.......................................swollen (VB: swell) = hinchado, aumentar..........

average = promedio...........................................-.........amid = en medio de....................................

come into effect = entrar en vigor.................................trade unions = sindicatos.....................................

austerity package = plan de ahorro..............................join = unirse

development aid= ayuda para el desarrollo..............., investment = inversión
budget deficit = déficit presupuestario.