Spain Sees First General Strike in 14 Years Over Housing Costs and Wages

Politics · First reported 11 Nov, 08:23 · Updated 08:31

Image: Wikimedia Commons · Ysherazi · CC BY-SA 4.0

Major Spanish labor unions and grassroots tenants' organizations staged the country's first general strike in 14 years on Wednesday. The nationwide mobilization focused on housing affordability and stagnant wages, occurring just weeks before a snap general election scheduled for November 29.

Spain's two largest labor unions, CC OO and UGT, alongside the Tenants' Union, launched the country's first general strike in 14 years to demand action on housing affordability and wage levels.
The industrial action follows a snap election call by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez set for November 29, which occurred after parliamentary opposition rejected government housing decrees.
Protests and picket lines were organized across Spain amid stormy weather, with reported flight disruptions and an incident in Madrid where police pepper spray led to 13 people seeking medical treatment.
While roughly 4,500 works councils and regional unions joined the strike, several professional and sector-specific unions representing civil servants, doctors, and train drivers declined to participate.

Summary written by Sumzly from 5 articles

Key facts

National strike interval: First general strike in Spain in 14 years
Election date: November 29
Housing deficit: 750,000 homes, projected to exceed 1 million by 2028
Average rent cost: €1,176 per month (equivalent to 99% of an average young person's salary)
Injuries at Mercamadrid: At least 13 people sought medical care after police used pepper spray