Four million Spaniards join first general strike in 14 years over housing crisis

Spain's two largest unions staged a 24-hour general strike on Wednesday (11 November) against the housing affordability crisis. The unions said about four million workers took part, roughly a fifth of the national workforce; it was Spain's first general strike since the anti-austerity stoppage of 2012, and it came less than three weeks before a snap general election on 29 November.

Clashes in Madrid and Barcelona in the evening; at least 73 arrested

The strike was mostly peaceful during the day, with the unions putting participation at 90 percent at ports and in the automotive sector, and more than 280 flights cancelled. In the evening, clashes broke out in Barcelona and Madrid: street furniture was set on fire in Barcelona after the main march ended, while riot police in Madrid used foam bullets, tear gas and pepper spray to disperse protesters around the Plaza de Espana. Police said at least 73 people had been arrested nationwide by 2100 GMT, from at least 1,044 incidents linked to the strike, including blockades of offices and industrial estates and the burning of rubbish containers. The unions said they would file a criminal complaint over a police operation involving tear gas and batons that left 20 protesters injured, calling the response “disproportionate”.

A shortfall of 750,000 homes as rents outpace wages

The stoppage was called by Spain's two largest unions, the General Union of Workers (UGT) and the Workers' Commissions (CCOO), which together represent more than a million workers, along with tenants' associations, under the slogan “Salaries. Housing. Prices.” The central bank estimates Spain has a housing deficit of about 750,000 homes, set to grow to more than a million by 2028. Grid operator Red Electrica said electricity demand up to 11 a.m. was 7.5 percent below the forecast for a day without a strike. Employers' groups disputed the unions' four-million figure, saying participation was low and uneven.

Housing at the centre of the election campaign

The strike comes less than three weeks before the snap election on 29 November. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez hopes to harness voter anger over housing; the government is pushing two housing decrees to a vote on 12 November. The opposition Popular Party criticised the stoppage. The tenants' union said it still expected participation to reach five million people by the end of the day.

Sources: Reuters, EFE, El Pais, RTVE.