Spanish trade unions call autumn general strike over housing costs and wages ahead of November election
Spain's leading labour federations CCOO and UGT, joined by regional and sectoral unions, have called a 24-hour autumn general strike over rising housing costs following the defeat of government decrees in Congress.
Mobilization over housing costs
Spain's main trade unions, Comisiones Obreras (CCOO) and the Unión General de Trabajadoras y Trabajadores (UGT), announced plans for a 24-hour general strike this autumn ahead of the 29 November general election. The mobilization is organized jointly with the Sindicato de Inquilinas to protest escalating housing expenses and stagnating wage purchasing power. UGT General Secretary Pepe Álvarez framed the planned stoppage as a broader social action that extends into economic policy. Álvarez argued that existing collective bargaining agreements cannot absorb ongoing rent hikes, urging business associations to back the demands. Two years prior, UGT filed a formal complaint with the European Committee of Social Rights to make housing protections in the European Social Charter binding on Spanish authorities.
Fundamentally, it is a day of struggle that must visualize this moment of discontent experienced in society, which goes far beyond housing, although in any case housing is one of the fundamental factors.
Parliamentary blockage and government decrees
The strike call follows the defeat of two government decree laws on housing in the Congress of Deputies, where the People's Party (PP), Vox, and Junts voted against the packages. The parliamentary rejection prompted Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to dissolve the legislature and schedule snap general elections for 29 November. PSOE federal deputy secretary general María Jesús Montero called the union reaction logical, noting that the strike targets the parliamentary opposition rather than executive policy. The Council of Ministers prepared to re-adopt two similar decree laws on 6 October for review by the parliamentary Permanent Deputation. Government Delegate in Andalusia Pedro Fernández defended the decrees, which provide eviction protections and fiscal incentives for property transactions.
- CIG launches a ten-point campaign in Galicia on living costs and housing
- CCOO and UGT announce plans for an autumn general strike over housing costs
- Cabinet reintroduces housing decrees while sectoral unions join the strike
- CIG holds delegate assemblies to organize regional strike actions
- Spain holds snap general elections following the dissolution of parliament
Expansion across regional and sectoral unions
Other labour organizations rapidly joined the call for coordinated action across Spain. The Unión de Actores y Actrices union confirmed its participation, pointing to irregular employment contracts, rising rents in production hubs, and tourism pressures following the eviction of Maricarmen. In Galicia, the Confederación Intersindical Galega (CIG) called for a general strike during the first week of November. CIG scheduled delegate assemblies for 8 October to coordinate actions against price increases in electricity, fuel, basic goods, and housing. CIG General Secretary Paulo Carril stated that living conditions have deteriorated due to general inflation and cuts in public services.
Political and employer pushback
Conservative politicians and business confederations rejected the strike, describing it as an electoral maneuver. PP spokesperson Borja Sémper characterized the planned stoppage as a political mobilization intended to assist the ruling party during the election campaign. In Castilla y León, regional Agriculture Councillor Joaquín Antonio Pino criticized union leadership for remaining inactive over the previous eight years. The regional business federation CEOE Castilla y León, led by Santiago Aparicio, issued a statement arguing that private enterprises should not absorb the financial fallout of disputes concerning public housing legislation. The Junta of Castilla y León spokesman Carlos Fernández Carriedo stated that the regional executive did not feel addressed by the call.
During eight years the unions have not mobilized for any of the problems afflicting workers and Spaniards. They are going to do it now in the middle of an electoral campaign, saving soldier Sánchez or trying to.
Legal framework and salary impact
Participation in the 24-hour stoppage carries specific legal consequences under Spanish labour regulations. Articles 45.1 and 45.2 of the Estatuto de los Trabajadores classify the exercise of the right to strike as a cause for the temporary suspension of employment contracts. While employees retain their employment relationship, mutual obligations to provide work and pay salaries are suspended during the strike. Participating workers see deductions in their net pay corresponding to unworked hours, with proportional reductions applying to paid rest periods and extraordinary payments.
