Adif works committee agrees 24-hour strike for 17 November, not yet formally called

A 24-hour strike at Adif is being prepared

The works committee of Adif, the state rail infrastructure manager, has agreed a 24-hour strike for Tuesday 17 November, according to union sources, but the call has not yet been formally issued. The committee brings together CCOO, UGT, CGT, the Sindicato Ferroviario (SF) and the Sindicato de Circulación Ferroviario (SCF). A rally in front of the Congress in Madrid is set for Monday 16 November. The committee will meet again on Wednesday 18 November to review developments and weigh further action. The SCF said it expects to receive the required authorisation on Wednesday or Thursday.

Renfe and Semaf add to the pressure

The works committee at Renfe has not yet decided whether to join the Adif action, although the proposal was passed to it on the same Tuesday. Semaf, the union for train drivers, has called a total stoppage for Tuesday 10 November and a partial strike for Thursday 12 November, an announcement it made on 29 October. A general strike falls on Wednesday 11 November, between those two dates. Semaf represents about 6,500 of the roughly 7,000 train drivers counted in the country. The Transport Ministry has imposed minimum services, but some disruption to train services is still expected over those three days.

What the unions are demanding

CSIF wants the resignation of Transport Minister Óscar Puente and of the top management of both Renfe and Adif. It proposes a legal reform to professionalise management and to limit political and trust-based appointments, with posts filled through open competitions and independent evaluations.

“The political sphere cannot replace professional competence.”

CSIF also seeks new collective agreements for Adif and Adif Alta Velocidad, more staff, curbs on outsourcing maintenance of infrastructure and trains, and a maximum of two night shifts a week that are not consecutive. CCOO says the split of Renfe and Adif was a mistake and wants a public group of companies to restore coordination between infrastructure and operations.

“The current situation is the result of the failure of a railway model progressively imposed through successive European directives.”

Semaf's demands cover network reliability, clear protocols for adverse weather, more staff, better emergency communication, new intakes of train drivers and psychological support for staff after a person was struck by a train. Transport Minister Óscar Puente has argued that Adif has significantly increased its workforce since 2016.

Background and the dates ahead

The mobilisation follows the train accident at Urda, in Toledo province, on Wednesday 28 October, which CCOO says has caused at least 69 deaths. Semaf kept its strike for Thursday 29 October in place, and Rodalies recorded a 30% drop in demand during that stoppage. Earlier, a strike had been lifted in February after an agreement with Adif and the Transport Ministry following the Adamuz and Gelida accidents, and unions now say those commitments must be honoured. Two fatal accidents in 2026 have intensified union criticism.

The calendar runs from the Semaf stoppages on 10 and 12 November to the proposed Adif strike on 17 November, with a Congress rally on 16 November and a works committee meeting on 18 November.