Spain Staged First General Strike in 14 Years Over Housing Crisis
Millions of Spanish workers joined a nationwide general strike on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, demanding that the government remedy the country's housing crisis. The 24-hour work stoppage marks Spain's first joint general strike in 14 years, backed by major labour federations UGT and CCOO alongside other labour organisations and tenants' associations. Workers set up picket lines across the eurozone's fourth largest economy despite stormy weather. The mobilization comes less than three weeks before a national parliamentary election called by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez for November 29.
Housing Grievances and Economic Drivers
Public anger mounted following the televised eviction and subsequent death of an 87-year-old Madrid resident named Maricarmen, who became a national symbol of housing distress. Data shows that average residential rent across Spain has almost doubled over the last 10 years, placing substantial strain on working-class household budgets. Central bank assessments indicate that Spain faces an existing deficit of approximately 750,000 homes, a structural shortfall projected to surpass one million residential units by 2028. According to the Youth Council of Spain, the average monthly rental expenditure of €1,176 ($1,315) consumes approximately 98.7% of an average young worker's salary. Campaigners mobilizing under the slogan of salaries, housing and prices demand the elimination of tourist flats, strict curbs on property speculation, and automatic lease extensions for tenants.
Industrial Impact and Early Turnout Figures
Union officials from UGT and CCOO reported significant work stoppages across key production sectors during the opening hours of the strike. Early turnout reached 90% across maritime ports and the automotive sector, causing full operational halts at facilities including SEAT in Barcelona and Volkswagen in Navarre. Union statements indicated participation rates of 85% in meat processing, 82% in municipal waste collection, and 75% across the energy industry. Lower turnout was recorded in social services and healthcare at 38%, while postal service participation registered at 35%. Tensions flared at Madrid's Mercamadrid wholesale market, where about 1,000 protesters gathered. The Madrid branch of CCOO said police fired pepper spray at pickets and arrested one of them, with 13 people requiring medical attention; a police spokesperson confirmed the arrest but not the use of pepper spray there.
Political Stakes Ahead of Snap Election
The general strike unfolded amidst high political tension following a train collision that killed 69 people, which burdened the governing coalition's election messaging. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez praised earlier gains of the workers' movement, such as the 40-hour work week and national health insurance, in a video on social media. His government will again ask Parliament on Thursday to ratify the two housing decrees that were rejected last month. Opposition Popular Party spokesperson Miguel Tellado criticised the walkout as an electoral maneuver designed to aid the incumbent left-wing coalition ahead of polling day. Political analyst Oriol Bartomeus said the Socialists need the strike to succeed without violence so that the election campaign swings back to housing.
Background
The business associations CEOE and Cepyme have asked the government to postpone its minimum wage decision so that the executive emerging from the general elections can negotiate the minimum wage update for 2027, according to Noticias Obreras.
The year 2012 saw two state-wide general strikes led by CCOO and UGT, taking place on March 29 against labor reform and on November 14 against austerity policies and cuts, according to Demócrata.