Workers across Spain are taking part in a 24-hour general strike over the crisis of affordable housing, low wages and high prices. It is the first nationwide protest in 14 years, and the action is taking place less than three weeks before the early parliamentary elections on November 29.
The strike began at midnight and is expected to end at the close of the day. At businesses operating multiple shifts, the protest begins with the first shift and ends after the last one. The two largest unions in the country, CCOO and UGT, are taking part, along with CGT, CNT and tenants’ organizations.
The protest is being held under the slogan “Wages. Housing. Prices.” The unions are demanding higher incomes, reduced working hours, improved working conditions and measures to counter rising rents and housing prices. They describe the housing crisis as an issue that directly affects the living conditions of working people.
Disruptions to transport and blocked streets
In Madrid, protesters blocked central streets, including “Gran Vía”, while in Barcelona many shops remained closed or were secured because of the expected demonstrations. Public transport in Barcelona was halted or operating with significant restrictions, with the metro running only during peak hours.
Airport operator AENA reported that around 5 percent of flights had been canceled. By 10 a.m., 234 of the 4,529 flights scheduled at Spanish airports had been canceled. Minimum service levels were introduced in a number of sectors, including transport, energy and postal services.
Electricity consumption at midday was 6.12 percent below the usual level for the past month, according to data from Spain’s electricity grid operator. The unions said support was uneven but stronger in coastal areas, where pressure on the housing market is particularly intense.
Rents consume almost all of young people’s income
According to data cited by Reuters, Spain is facing a shortage of around 750,000 homes. The deficit is expected to exceed one million by 2028. The average rent is 1,176 euros per month—approximately 98.7 percent of the average monthly salary of a young person.
“Rents keep rising, housing prices are rising too, and it is simply impossible,” 36-year-old Jesús González, who works in a hospital IT department in Madrid, told Reuters. He said he still cannot live independently.
The crisis has become a key issue ahead of the November 29 elections. The employers’ organization CEOE described the strike as counterproductive and argued that it has a political and electoral character. The organization’s vice president, Ángela de Miguel, said the solution lies in building more homes and reducing the taxes that make new construction more expensive.
The main marches in Madrid and Barcelona are scheduled for the afternoon. It is the first nationwide strike backed by CCOO and UGT since the 2012 protests against austerity measures.
Sources: apnews.com, internazionale.it, rtve.es