Spain’s general strike sparks clashes and disrupts transport in several cities

Residents in parts of Spain are seeing transport disruption and reports of clashes as the general strike continues today. In Málaga, police have charged at pickets outside bus depots. In Palma, the Intermodal station is quieter than usual, with few incidents reported so far.

The disruption has been most pronounced around Barcelona, where pickets blocked more than 30 roads, including sections of the AP 7 and A 2. Cadena SER reported that only eight Rodalies trains had run early in the morning, although 12 were scheduled under minimum service rules. Four could not operate because drivers were unable to reach work.

The unions behind the 24 hour stoppage say participation was high in several industries during the night shift. CCOO and UGT reported around 90 per cent participation in automotive plants and at the ports of Valencia and Algeciras. They put participation at 85 per cent in meat processing and 82 per cent in rubbish collection. These are the unions’ early figures, and there is not yet a comparable independent count across Spain.

The start to the day has been quieter in some places. Seville’s city council said its bus and cleaning services were operating almost normally. Madrid Metro said it was running at 79 per cent of its usual service at 7am, close to the minimum required for the morning peak.

Demonstrations are planned this afternoon across areas covered by Euro Weekly News. Organisers have called marches in Almería at 5.30pm, Málaga, Alicante and Elche at 6pm, and Murcia and Cartagena at 7pm. In the Balearic Islands, rallies are planned in Palma at 6.30pm, Maó and Ibiza at 6pm, and Ciutadella at 5pm.

The strike was called over housing costs, wages and the cost of living. For practical information on minimum services and what may be open, read EWN’s guide to what will run, what may close and how to prepare for the strike.

With the main demonstrations still to come, the morning reports show a varied picture, with disruption concentrated in some transport networks and workplaces. The full level of participation across Spain is not yet clear.