Housing Crisis: Workers to Launch 24-Hour National Strike

Spain’s two largest trade unions, CCOO (Comisiones Obreras) and UGT (Unión General de Trabajadores), have begun preparations for a 24-hour general strike this autumn. The action aims to demand adequate wage increases alongside access to decent housing.

The strike plan is still awaiting approval from the highest governing bodies of both unions. CCOO and UGT also intend to coordinate with tenant groups, community organisations, and the Tenants’ Union to determine the specific date of implementation.

This announcement follows the Spanish Congress of Deputies’ rejection on Friday of a draft royal decree concerning housing. Both unions believe this rejection reinforces the need to link the workers’ struggle with movements demanding housing access.

“Last weekend’s demonstrations demonstrated the strength of these demands, and the response must be built through cooperation with all supporting organisations,” stated CCOO and UGT in a joint statement, as reported by Democrata and cited by Anadolu Agency.

Regarding labour, the unions have linked the strike plans to the proposed Sixth Agreement on Employment and Collective Bargaining. They are proposing wage increases between 4% and 7%, accompanied by a wage review clause to adjust for changes in economic conditions.

In relation to housing, CCOO and UGT are demanding a broader social agreement, including rent controls and the permanent provision of state-protected housing stocks. They are also calling for the effective implementation of housing rights laws across all regions of Spain.

The unions are also urging employers’ organisations to reopen space for collective bargaining and to ensure that wage levels are sufficient to meet workers’ basic needs. They argue that labour and housing policies must be addressed simultaneously, as both directly impact public purchasing power.

CCOO and UGT have called upon public authorities to ensure that regulations protecting the right to housing are strictly enforced. The scale and date of the general strike will be determined once the internal approval process and coordination with housing groups are complete.