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15:26

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Austerity measures

Spain's Parliament passes drastic labor market reform

AP

Madrid

The reform overhauls the labor market by slashing the cost of firing workers and easing conditions under which they can be dismissed.

  • Spanish parliament. Photo: EFE

    Spanish parliament. Photo: EFE

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Spain's Parliament has approved the conservative government's drastic new labor reform aimed at lifting the country out of its economic morass.

The reform, which took effect after being passed by decree last month, overhauls the labor market by slashing the cost of firing workers and easing conditions under which they can be dismissed.

Labor unions are threatening a general strike in protest.

The bill was passed Thursday by 197 deputies in favor and 142 against. It is now open to debate and amendment but the ruling Popular Party's absolute majority guarantees any changes will be minor.

Spain has a eurozone-high unemployment rate of near 23 percent.

The government admits this may reach 24 percent this year despite the reform.

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