| Tens of thousands of workers filled the streets yesterday to demand changes to the payment structure in the Arms Manufacturing industry. Union head, Ressie Weiler, noted that for too long, 'workers have had their wages frozen by management' and that workers would not tolerate this anymore. Similar type protests broke out in other major cities across the country. Though the protests were peaceful in nature they still managed to snarl traffic and shut down the most important industry in the country. Prime Minister Jason Bayda called an emergency session of parliament to deal with the situation. Insiders say legislation is currently being drafted and will be pushed through early this morning to give more power to manufacturers to remove trouble makers from companies without penalty. An aide for the prime minister was quoted as noting that, 'both sides will be taken into consideration and a compromise that both sides can live with will be administered'. The Arms Manufacturing business is the biggest industry in the country and currently accounts for over 35% of all exports overseas. With the recent passage of bill 2005-005 earlier this week, increasing government spending on the military by an additional 30%, serious questions will arise if the government does not deal with this quickly. Prime Minister Bayda in an earlier radio interview noted that his government, 'will take the necessary steps needed to ensure that this industry will be back to work immediately where both sides have a deal they can live with'. A spoke person for the Arms Manufacturing Industry was optimistic that a deal could be worked out soon with the union. 'The union is being unrealistic asking for a 20% wage increase, our prime minister has proven to be effective at solving problems in the past so I see no reason to expect that this situation will not be solved promptly'. |  |