PP and Vox Call Spain’s General Strike a Political Circus
Spain's opposition says the general strike favors Pedro Sánchez's government, while ministers cleared agendas and Madrid saw closures and pickets.
Spain’s main opposition parties have dismissed the general strike called by the unions as a political move meant to help the government. The walkout falls two days before the election campaign opens on Nov. 29, which puts it in the middle of the political fight, according to Ara.
For readers in Spain, the dispute matters because the strike affects transport, museums and workplaces while parties trade accusations ahead of the vote.
What the opposition says
Ignacio Garriga, general secretary of Vox, called the strike “a great circus in favor of the government of Spain.” His colleague José María Figaredo, speaking from a market in Mansilla de las Mulas in León, said subsidies to the unions have multiplied by four under the government.
The opposition argument is that the unions waited seven years of Pedro Sánchez’s government before calling a protest, and that the complaint is aimed at the opposition rather than at the executive.
The PP took the same line. Its spokesperson, Borja Sémper, said the “union elite” is damaging the labor movement by costing it credibility, and described the strike as electoral. The party also drew attention online with an image, made with artificial intelligence, of three union members eating seafood.
Government quiet, allies supportive
The Spanish government has issued no official statements so far, Ara reported. Ministers cleared their agendas in solidarity with the strike. Two kept their meetings because the events were international: Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares was in Brussels and Paris, and Agriculture Minister Luis Planas was on an official trip to Turkey.
Health Minister Mónica García, who belongs to Sumar, openly backed the strike and called it “a strike like no other.” Podemos also supported it. Its election candidate, Irene Montero, denounced “police violence” against information pickets at MercaMadrid. The unions called the police action, which involved pepper spray, a “scandal” and said they will seek criminal liability.
How the day went in Madrid
The day was mostly peaceful, although tension between police and protesters rose around midday when several people blocked Gran Via. Early in the morning, the Tenants’ Union blocked the A-42 in Carabanchel to stop people driving into the city to work. Its spokesperson, Alicia del Río, said the housing model has to change.
At Atocha station there were fewer passengers than usual and trains left in small numbers. The Reina Sofia Museum was closed, and tourists waited at its doors. The Prado Museum was open and its ticket offices worked normally, though some rooms were shut because staff exercised their right to strike. Most shops stayed open.
Why it matters
Housing was the main grievance Ara heard from a worker at Atocha. Miguel Ángel Aguilar, who came from Peru 25 years ago to work at the Getafe slaughterhouse, said a salary of 1,240 euros per month does not cover apartments that cost 1,200 euros, so people end up renting rooms. He said price containment measures fail because nobody monitors landlords. He still could not travel to Guadalajara that day, but said he understands why people are striking.
His account shows how the strike mixes labor and housing demands, the same issues the parties are now arguing over before the campaign. Residents who want to know how strike days work in Catalonia can read about notice rules and minimum services for strikes.
Source: Ara
