Page 30 - bon-dia-aruba-20211229

A30 world news
Diaranson 29 December 2021

Spain’s govt clears crucial labor reform and budget for 2022

His Cabinet also passed “This reform turns a page on
Tuesday a decree Tuesday the precariousness in Spain,”
that overhauls the country’s Díaz told reporters during a
labor rules, a commitment by weekly news conference fol-
Sánchez´s government with lowing the Cabinet meeting,
the European Commission referring to official data that
before the end of 2021 in or- shows that one out of four
der to secure the next instal- contracts in Spain is short-
ment of EU pandemic funds. term, the highest rate in the
EU.
The labor reform reverts
business-friendly regulations The country’s unemploy-
adopted in 2012 by a previous ment rate, at 14.5% in Oc-
conservative administration tober, is also one of Europe’s
at the height of last decade’s highest.
sovereign debt crisis.
“I dare to say that there are
It limits most temporary con- young people and women
tracts that are prevalent in the who have not known a decent
eurozone’s fourth-largest contract in their lifetime,”
economy to a maximum of the minister added. “Now
three months and brings back we are going to give them the
collective bargaining with opportunity to break with the
unions as the main channel trap of precarious lives.”
(AP) — Spain’s left-wing 450-billion-euro ($509 bil- billion euros ($11.3 billion) to negotiate contracts. It also
ruling coalition on Tues- lion) budget for 2022, which earlier this week. adopts the furlough program The new rules take effect
day secured its hold on allocates more than half of the used to avoid layoffs during Wednesday, although the
power with the approval funds to education, health, The budget approval is seen the COVID-19 pandemic as government will need to
of a landmark labor re- pensions, subsidies and other as a crucial test of the parlia- a fixed tool for companies to find support once again from
form backed by both forms of social spending. mentary support of the mi- turn to in future crises. smaller parties to ratify the
unions and employers and The budget includes the nority coalition of Socialists The reform has been sanc- changes in a parliamentary
a new national spending first 20 billion euros of 70 and the anti-austerity United tioned by workers’ unions vote early next year.
plan for next year that billion euros ($79.2 billion) We Can party. By clearing the and trade associations, a rare
includes a hefty disburse- total granted to the country hurdle in a 281-62 vote with achievement for the govern- Sánchez’s minority coalition
ment of pandemic recov- from the European Union’s one abstention, Prime Minis- ment and a personal win for controls 155 of the 350 seats
ery funds. COVID-19 recovery funds. ter Pedro Sánchez dispelled Labor Minister Yolanda Díaz, in the Congress of Deputies
The European Commission, pressure to call an early elec- a former labor attorney who and has needed the votes of
An array of left-leaning and the executive branch of the tion and increased his chanc- has become the rising star in Catalan and Basque national-
nationalist lawmakers gave 27-nation bloc, transferred to es to see out his term, which United We Can, the coali- ist parties, among others, to
the final go-ahead to Spain’s Spain an initial tranche of 10 ends in 2023. tion’s junior partner. pass legislation.

Tutu’s family gathers in South Africa for Cape Town funeral

(AP) — Desmond Tutu’s “He has not quite left us and funeral. He wanted no osten-
family members gathered yet he has left us. And so as a tatiousness or lavish spend-
at his Cape Town home on family we are supporting one ing,” the Tutu trust said in a
Tuesday in preparation for another,” she said. “We are statement. “He asked that the
his funeral this weekend loving one another, we are coffin be the cheapest avail-
as South Africans honored fighting one another, as fami- able and that a bouquet of
his life. lies do. And we are feeling carnations from his family be
the love and support from the only flowers in the cathe-
The Nobel Peace Prize-win- people all over the country dral.”
ning activist for racial equal- and all over the world.”
ity and LGBT rights died Tutu’s supporters have left
Sunday at the age of 90. The period when Tutu will flowers at the Cape Town
lie in state at St. George’s cathedral and also in front
Tutu’s wife Leah is being Anglican Cathedral in Cape of Tutu’s historic home
joined by the couple’s four Town has been extended to in Soweto, Johannesburg.
children, grandchildren and two days, Thursday and Fri- Prayers were said and can-
other family members. day, to allow all mourners to dles lit at St. Mary’s Anglican
pay tribute by filing past his Cathedral in Johannesburg
“Mommy is maintaining ... coffin, his trust announced Tuesday evening.
She is being surrounded with Tuesday.
love,” daughter Nontombi An interfaith service will be
Tutu told The Associated South African President Cyr- held in the capital, Pretoria,
Press in front of the family il Ramaphosa has announced on Wednesday and the City of
home in the Milnerton area that Tutu’s requiem Mass Cape Town is also planning
of Cape Town. Saturday will be a Special Of- to hold a service in honor of
ficial Funeral Category 1. His Tutu. Cape Town’s landmark
“In a time like this, there are ashes will later be interred at Table Mountain, the Cape
times where we are laughing, the cathedral’s mausoleum, Town Civic Center, and an
sharing stories, and there are according to Tutu’s instruc- arch at the cathedral are all
times where we are crying, as tions. being lit up each night this
we come to terms with life week in purple in honor of
without daddy,” she said. “The archbishop was very Tutu’s purple bishop’s robes.
clear on his wishes for his