MADRID: Thousands of people joined May 1 rallies in more than 70 cities across Spain on Saturday in the first Labour Day demonstrations since the pandemic began. Wearing masks and observing social distancing, demonstrators marched through the streets waving banners although in many places, numbers were capped to ensure anti-Covid measures were respected.

The main demonstration in Madrid, which was limited to 1,000 people, began at midday (1000 GMT) under the slogan “Now it’s time to deliver” with the participants marching from the town hall to the city’s Puerta del Sol square.

Seven government ministers attended the march, including Labour Minister Yolanda Diaz as well as representatives of the three left-wing parties running in Tuesday’s regional election in Madrid. At the rally, union leaders Pepe Alvarez of the UGT and the CCOO’s Unai Sordo urged the government to honour commitments delayed by the pandemic, such as repealing a controversial labour reform, raising the minimum wage and approving a law on equal pay.