Spain teachers strike for 2nd day over staff cuts

[September 21, 2011]  MADRID (AP) -- A Spanish union official says Madrid teachers are staying off the job in massive numbers on the second day of a strike over staff cuts.

Colleagues in the northwest region of Galicia also went on strike.

Virginia Fernandez of the UGT union says official numbers for Madrid are not in but it seems Wednesday's strike is about the same level as Tuesday's, with about 80 percent of teachers staying away from classrooms.

Teachers are furious with the conservative-led Madrid regional government for budget cuts that will reduce staff, force them to teach two hours more per week and give them less time for tutoring.

[Associated Press]

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