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Four million workers joined a general strike in Spain on Wednesday to protest the country’s deepening housing crisis, AnewZ reported. The action, organized by trade unions, disrupted work at factories, ports and shops, as well as public transport. It took place less than three weeks before snap parliamentary elections.
Despite stormy weather, protesters took to the picket lines. The strike was Spain’s first general walkout since 2012, when demonstrations were held against austerity measures during the eurozone debt crisis.
The action was backed by the country’s two largest trade unions, UGT and CCOO, which together represent more than one million workers, as well as tenants’ associations protesting rising rents and evictions. The unions called the strike a success, although participation varied across the country. Support was stronger in coastal areas where housing problems are particularly acute.
Participation reaches 90% at ports and car plants
On Gran Via, one of Madrid’s busiest shopping streets, protesters cheered as Primark, H&M and Pull & Bear closed their stores. Large numbers of riot police were deployed in the area. Protesters waved house keys above their heads and chanted: “We will close the Mango store.”
Many shops remained closed in Barcelona, where storefronts were covered with wooden boards to protect against possible unrest.
According to UGT and CCOO, participation in the strike reached 90% at ports and in the automotive industry. The unions said operations had come to a complete halt at major production sites, including the Volkswagen plant in Navarre and the SEAT facility in Barcelona.
Power grid operator Red Eléctrica said electricity demand fell by as much as 15.5% between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Barcelona’s metro said trains would run only during peak hours. Passenger numbers on the Madrid metro were down 42% compared with the same period a week earlier.
A tenants’ association forecast that the number of people taking part could reach five million by the end of the day. Spain has about 23 million workers, according to the country’s National Statistics Institute.
Police detain 40 people
By midday, police said they had detained 40 people in connection with 476 incidents related to the strike. The incidents included blockades at the entrances to offices and industrial areas, as well as the burning of rubbish containers.
The unions described the police operation, which involved tear gas and batons, as “disproportionate” and said they would file a criminal complaint. They said 20 protesters had been injured.
With storms Charles and Bruna expected to disrupt mass demonstrations planned for the afternoon, the unions cancelled a march in Cadiz, a port city in the south.
Spain’s housing shortage stands at about 750,000 homes and is forecast to exceed one million by 2028, according to the Central Bank.
As home ownership becomes increasingly unattainable, demand for rental housing is rising. The average monthly rent is 1,176 euros ($1,315), equivalent to about 98.7% of a young person’s average monthly salary, according to the Spanish Youth Council.
“I’m 36, but I still can’t move out and live on my own. Rents and house prices keep rising, and it’s simply impossible,” said Jesus Gonzalez, a Madrid resident who works in a hospital’s IT department and supported the strike.
Angela de Miguel, vice president of Spain’s main business organization, CEOE, criticized the strike as counterproductive. She said the housing shortage also affects small businesses because it makes it harder to recruit workers.
Speaking to public broadcaster TVE, de Miguel said the solution was to build more homes and reduce taxes on construction and property purchases.
Miguel Cardoso, chief economist at BBVA Research, forecast that the strike’s economic impact would be smaller than that of previous actions. He cited the spread of remote work and the growing role of the services sector.
Cardoso estimated that the strike could reduce Spain’s annual gross domestic product by 0.1% to 0.2%. Trade unions are less prevalent in the country’s fast-growing hospitality and financial sectors than in the public sector and manufacturing, which could limit the action’s overall economic impact.
The strike followed weeks of protests that began after an 87-year-old woman was evicted from her home in Madrid and later died. Alongside the demonstrations, parliament’s rejection last month of government measures to prevent evictions and ease rental pressures prompted Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to call snap parliamentary elections.
Sanchez is seeking to harness public anger over housing ahead of the elections, scheduled for Nov. 29, while also diverting attention from corruption cases involving his inner circle and last month’s deadly train crash. His Socialist Party, however, is trailing in opinion polls.
