Workers across Spain began a 24-hour general strike on Wednesday, November 11, protesting housing costs and wages less than three weeks before a snap general election. The walkout, backed by the country's two largest unions, UGT and CCOO, is their first joint nationwide general strike in 14 years, according to Reuters, the Associated Press and El País. Picket lines formed in Madrid and Barcelona as organizers prepared afternoon demonstrations.
The unions say rising rents and the difficulty of buying a home have eroded workers' purchasing power. Spain faces a shortage of about 750,000 homes, according to its central bank, Reuters reported. The Youth Council of Spain estimates that average monthly rent of 1,176 euros absorbs almost all of an average young worker's monthly salary. The strike also follows protests over the eviction and subsequent death of an elderly woman in Madrid.
Early disruption varied by region and industry. UGT and CCOO claimed 90 percent participation at ports and automotive plants, and reported substantial stoppages in meat processing, waste collection and energy. Those are union estimates, not a final independent count. AP reported roadblocks in Barcelona and clashes between picketers and police near a major wholesale market outside Madrid. Reuters said unions expected especially strong support in coastal areas facing acute housing pressure.
Housing groups want stronger protection against eviction and action on tourist apartments and property speculation, AP reported. UGT and CCOO are seeking more government intervention in housing and a new wage agreement with employers. Spain's main business lobby, CEOE, argues that the shortage of homes also hurts employers and has called for more construction and lower building-related taxes, according to Reuters.
The strike comes before the November 29 election called by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez after parliament rejected emergency housing measures last month. Sánchez's governing parties hope to focus the campaign on housing, while the conservative Popular Party and far-right Vox accuse unions of using the strike to influence the vote, according to AP. Union leaders say their demands are directed at every level of government, regardless of who wins.
The government is expected to seek another parliamentary vote on two housing decrees on Thursday, AP reported. Organizers planned larger marches later Wednesday, although severe weather alerts across much of Spain threatened turnout, Reuters said. The extent of the stoppage and the fate of the decrees will help show whether the housing dispute changes the final weeks of the election campaign.
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