Spain’s two largest unions began a 24-hour general strike over housing and purchasing power in the country’s first such action in 14 years, before the snap election on 29 November. They reported heavy participation in car manufacturing and ports. The stoppage follows housing protests and parliament’s rejection of government measures, while the opposition disputes its timing during the campaign.
Spain’s General Union of Workers (UGT) and Workers’ Commissions (CC OO), its two largest unions, began a 24-hour general strike on 11 November. Housing costs and declining purchasing power drove the call, the first by the two organisations in 14 years. Demonstrations were planned alongside the stoppage before the 29 November general election.[1], [2]
Rents in major Spanish cities have roughly doubled in a decade. Average monthly pay was about €2,460, against an October rent of €1,170 for a 50-square-metre Madrid flat. The eviction of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal in Madrid in September helped expand the housing protests that preceded the strike.[1]
The unions reported 90 per cent participation in car manufacturing and ports, while expecting uneven turnout between regions. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called the snap election after parliament rejected government housing measures. Opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo’s Popular Party criticised the timing of the strike. The unions said their demands addressed every level of government.[1]
