Spain’s main trade unions and housing campaign groups have agreed to hold a general strike on Wednesday 11 November, according to El País, placing the protest over access to affordable housing just over two weeks before the country’s general election.
The stoppage will be the first general strike backed by both CCOO and UGT in 14 years. It also has the support of major regional unions, including CIG in Galicia and ELA and LAB in the Basque Country.
The date was agreed between the unions supporting the strike and representatives of the organisations leading the housing protests, the newspaper reported. ALSO READ: Spain’s housing protests intensify as tenants’ unions push for general strike.
With voters due to go to the polls on 29 November, the action will take place shortly before the official election campaign begins at midnight between Thursday 12 and Friday 13 November. ALSO READ: Pedro Sánchez calls a general election in Spain for 29 November.
Employers challenge the grounds for the strike
The planned stoppage has drawn criticism from employers’ organisations CEOE and Cepyme, as well as several unions representing specific professional groups. The right-wing People’s Party (PP) and far-right Vox opposition parties have also sharply attacked the unions backing it. ALSO READ: PP, Vox and Junts attack Sánchez’s record as Spain heads for November election.
The employers’ organisations argue that ‘the demands that have prompted this announcement are not, in essence, employment-related’, El País reported.
They described it as ‘unacceptable’ that ‘there should be an attempt to shift onto companies, their workers and economic activity as a whole the cost of a pressure tactic directed at the government and its management’.
Socialist (PSOE) Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, however, said on Tuesday that his government would respect the right to strike.
‘There is going to be a general strike over an issue that I believe affects many working men and women and their families, namely access to housing. And therefore, the only thing we can do as a government is respect that constitutional right,’ he said. ALSO READ: Sánchez revives housing measures with €10bn loan plan as Spain heads towards election.
First such stoppage since 2012
The last general strike supported by both CCOO and UGT took place on 14 November 2012, in opposition to austerity measures introduced in the aftermath of the Great Recession. The mobilisation extended beyond Spain, with general strikes also called in Italy, Portugal, Cyprus and Malta.
Earlier that year, in March, the two unions had organised another nationwide stoppage against the labour reform introduced by Mariano Rajoy’s PP government, which reduced the cost of dismissing workers.
The November housing protest will be the ninth general strike backed by CCOO and UGT, according to the historical tally cited by El País.
The landmark strike of 14 December 1988 took place under socialist prime minister Felipe González. Further stoppages followed on 28 May 1992 and 27 January 1994, during his time in office, and on 20 June 2002, under the PP’s José María Aznar.
On 29 September 2010, the unions also called a general strike against cuts introduced by the government of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. The forthcoming action brings access to housing to the centre of a mobilisation traditionally associated with labour reforms and austerity.
We will be updating this report.
Enjoying the news from Spain in English? Add us as a preferred news source in Google.
Subscribe to the Weekly Newsletter from Spain in English.
#ÚLTIMAHORA | Los Sindicatos de Inquilinas proponen el 11 de noviembre para la huelga general. https://t.co/Zfb4uMAldo
— EFE Noticias (@EFEnoticias) October 7, 2026
ÚLTIMA HORA 🔴 El Sindicato de Inquilinas propondrá a los sindicatos de clase que la huelga general se celebre el 11 de noviembre https://t.co/oDjyczLErt https://t.co/7L5dyfFajC
— RTVE Noticias (@rtvenoticias) October 7, 2026
Click here to get your business activity or services listed on our DIRECTORY.