Spain’s main unions and left-wing parties have rejected Alberto Núñez Feijóo’s call to reconsider a general strike scheduled for November 11, following a rail accident in Urda, Toledo, that left 69 people dead. The People’s Party (PP) leader said continuing with the strike would be a “serious mistake,” while stressing that he was not challenging the constitutional right to strike but questioning the timing.
The strike was called over housing and wages, and in support of public services, including the rail system. UGT secretary general Pepe Álvarez described Feijóo’s appeal as “insulting” and said there was no reason to cancel the action. “We are not going to call off the general strike,” he said in an interview with Cadena SER.
CC.OO. leader Unai Sordo also confirmed that the strike and associated public demonstrations would go ahead. Speaking in Zaragoza, he challenged Feijóo over public-service funding and asked whether the PP would govern with Vox, which he said advocates cutting state tax revenues by €64 billion, or 4% of GDP. Sordo argued that the strike addresses wages, employers and housing policy, and said the country’s housing problem was causing serious socioeconomic strain.
Government spokesperson and Social Security Minister Elma Saiz said the right to strike is protected by Spain’s Constitution. She called for respect and cautioned against using the victims’ suffering for political purposes.
Several Sumar representatives accused Feijóo of trying to manipulate unions and undermine strikes. The party’s Tesh Sidi said that, if it were up to the PP leader, strikes and demonstrations would end. Sumar deputy Gerardo Pisarello criticised him for asking unions to cancel the action, while Alberto Ibáñez of Compromís urged him to stop intervening in workers’ representatives.
ERC spokesperson Jordi Albert said there were grounds for broad participation and pledged that his party would work to make the strike a success. He also criticised Junts for opposing a declaration in support of the stoppage at a meeting of the Catalan parliament’s Board of Spokespersons. The declaration was backed by the PSC, ERC, Comuns and CUP, while Junts, the PP and Vox voted against it.
Podemos leader Irene Montero defended the strike as a fundamental right, saying that strikes have helped secure workers’ rights. BNG leader Ana Pontón called Feijóo’s appeal a moral and political outrage, accusing him of using the accident and its victims to attack workers.
Sources: La Vanguardia.