france24.com reported that Spanish coal miners have spent their nineteenth day 800 metres underground in a mine in Santa Cruz del Sil, in the northern province of Leon, on June 8.

Seven miners are refusing to leave a dark gallery deep underground at a coal mine in northern Spain unless the government reverses its decision to slash subsidies to the sector to EUR 111 million from EUR 301 million last year.

Above ground, protests by the miners against the cuts, which began three weeks ago, have become more radical, with striking miners blocking roads and railways and clashing with riot police on a daily basis in northern coal mining regions.

Unions argue the subsidy cuts will lead to the closure of Spain's coal mines and the loss of up to 30,000 direct and indirect jobs, since Spanish coal relies on state aid to compete with cheaper imports.

Source - france24.com

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