Catalonia faces a week of strikes on the eve of the election campaign

Catalonia faces a week of strikes in various sectors, coinciding with the lead-up to the start of the election campaign.

The biggest day of industrial action will be the general strike on November 11, called by labor unions and organizations such as the Tenants' Union to demand decent wages and housing.

This will be preceded by protests in the rail sector and in the meat industry.

Workers in the meat industry are set to mobilize for five days starting Monday, while Renfe train drivers have planned work stoppages for Tuesday and Thursday, the days immediately before and after the general strike, to demand improved railway safety.

On Monday, however, Catalonia's Rodalies commuter rail network was already suffering widespread delays, with cancellations affecting services across all lines and passengers facing waits of up to 40 minutes.

Conversely, the work stoppages planned by Ouigo train drivers for Monday have been cancelled.

General strike

Under the slogan 'Wages. Housing. Prices,' the November 11 strike is backed by over 3,600 entities and companies across Spain.

Unions anticipate high participation at major companies, including Seat, Iberia, Zara, Glovo, Mercadona, Telefónica, and BBVA, among others. In Catalonia, nearly 700 companies have joined the call.

As is typical with such mobilizations, significant disruptions to transport and movement are expected, with the possibility of road blockades or informational picket lines outside large industrial facilities and businesses.

Wednesday’s general strike marks the first 24-hour industrial action called by major trade unions in Spain since the 2012 labor reform enacted by the conservative People's Party.

In Catalonia, a mobilization took place on October 3, 2017, two days after the independence referendum, to protest against the violent police crackdown of the vote.

Mobilizations are expected to begin on Tuesday night, as the strike commences at midnight and affects shifts ending in the early hours of the morning.

The unions’ objective is to bring economic activity to a halt and “make it clear to the incoming national government that the working class has the power to bring the country to a standstill.”

Railway sector

Following the tragic accident in Urda, which claimed the lives of 69 people, the union Semaf has called for strikes on November 10 and 12 to demand improved safety measures.

On November 10, the biggest union among train drivers plans a complete stoppage of services across the Renfe group, while on November 12, there will be partial stoppages throughout the day.

On November 11, train drivers and other railway sector staff may also join the strike, which could lead to travel disruptions.

When announcing these actions, Semaf criticized those responsible for railway transport for a "lack of genuine commitment to safety."

Meat Industry

The meat industry is planning a strike all week, November 9–13, due to a deadlock in negotiations for the national collective bargaining agreement.

The unions aim to pressure employers into accepting improvements regarding wages and working conditions, including a reduction in working hours.

The strike will affect slaughterhouses, cutting plants, facilities producing cured meats and sausages, and auxiliary veterinary inspection services.

Education and Health Sectors

This week’s protests come at a time when both the education and health sectors remain mobilized.

Doctors have been on an indefinite strike since October 28, while teachers held several demonstrations outside schools on Thursday.

Unions such as USTEC are calling workers to join the general strike on Wednesday.

Furthermore, teachers have planned an education-focused demonstration for November 21 and another strike on November 26.