Millions Protest Spending Cuts

Argentine workers staged the biggest nationwide work stoppage in years, closing shops and idling public transportation as they stayed home to protest government spending cuts. Interior Minister Federico Storani estimated that 60% of the nation’s 14 million workers joined the walkout. The daylong protest kept thousands of bus, subway, railway and public employees off the job and forced hospitals, airports and public utility companies to run skeleton crews as most economic activity subsided. It was the fiercest challenge yet to six months of cost cutting, tax hikes and salary reductions by President Fernando de la Rua. The strike was sparked by a May 29 announcement of new spending cuts.