Several spots in Chile’s capital of Santiago and the city of Concepcion reached today’s dawn blocked with barricades, in the beginning of a day for national strike and other mobilizations, called to by the Unitary Workers’ Union (CUT).
Groups of citizens in twenty street crossings in this capital set tires on fire and placed other obstacles to hinder traffic.
Agents of the Special Police Forces charged with water cannons and tear gas against the demonstrators, some of whom were hooded.
In a sector of the emblematic avenue Alameda, protesters demanded re-nationalization of the natural resources, in order to be eligible for subsidies to buy apartments or houses.
Areas near the airport of Santiago were also blocked by demonstrators.
The media reported that in the city of Concepcion, in the south central part of the country, several spots were blocked.
Numerous guilds, public and private-sector workers, social movements and other organizations joined the strike called to by the CUT, including the Chilean Student’s Confederation.
The protest marches planned for today began after 10:00, local time.
The call to strike had generated unusual widespread support as many private company unions, not affiliated with CUT, had decided to join in the effort to pressure the government for a better deal for Chilean society as a whole. According to organizers the support for the strike among government workers was nearly 90% and the march in Santiago called by the unions gathered nearly 150 thousand people making it one of the largest in years.
The workers are demanding to put an end to Pension Fund Administrative Companies, a new labor institutions and a tax reform that distributes income and contributes to eradicate inequality in the country, as well as other demands by the social movements including a new constitution and a higher raise in the minimum wage.