Spain holds first general strike in 14 years over housing and purchasing power

What happened

Spain staged its first general strike since 2012 on Wednesday, 11 November, a day of action over housing costs and purchasing power. The unions CCOO and UGT backed the walkout. Guardian correspondents, as cited by Courrier International, said millions of people joined, but turnout varied considerably from one part of the country to another. Coverage linked the movement to public outrage over the eviction of an elderly person, as well as to protests organised by groups unconnected to the unions.

Unions and employers disagree on turnout

Unai Sordo, general secretary of CCOO, Spain's largest national union, said participation was very high in sectors that work in rotating shifts. UGT's Rafael Espartero called the mobilisation massive but described the pattern of participation as 'disparate' from region to region. He said turnout was higher in the coastal north, east and south, where housing pressure is strong. The employers' federation CEOE took the opposite view, saying participation was weak in most sectors and regions and somewhat higher where workers are more unionised.

Sectors, cities and services

Figures reported by El Mundo, as cited by Courrier International, put the share of strikers at 90% in the car and port transport sectors. The Seat and Volkswagen plants were almost at a standstill in Barcelona and Navarre, and electricity consumption fell by 7.5 to 10%, according to the same outlet. El Mundo also reported that the ports of Algeciras and Valencia were paralysed. In Madrid, 93% of metro trains were running at 8:00 GMT compared with a normal Wednesday, but ridership was about half the usual level, according to the capital's metro operator. Most shops were open. The Madrid march was combined with a teachers' strike that has lasted nearly a month and seeks better working conditions.

Blockades, detentions and the election backdrop

In Barcelona, protesters blocked several roads, at times using burning tyres, the Guardian reported. In Madrid, demonstrators dragged containers onto a road to stop traffic, leading to clashes with police. ABC's live coverage reported about forty people detained across the country. Earlier in the day, some protesters wearing yellow vests set up roadblocks on several routes and pickets around logistics centres, according to Le Temps. The strike takes place less than three weeks before snap legislative elections on 29 November, called after Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez failed to pass measures to tackle the housing crisis. His Socialist government supports the strike, though El Mundo reported that it faces strong criticism.