Millions Take to the Street of the Spanish State in First General Strike in 14 Years
Featured image: March in Valencia during the November 11 general strike. Source: El Diario
On November 11, a general strike took place in the Spanish State, the first in 14 years, with reports estimating that more than 4 million were participating in the strike. There have been widespread reports of massive demonstrations and pickets, road blockades, sabotage actions against monopolies, and multiple clashes with police throughout the Spanish State, with reports from some regions of around 80% participation in the strike of broad sectors of workers.
Some of the demands raised in the general strike included higher wages, affordable housing, a reduction of working hours, improved health and safety in the workplace, a reduction of precarious employment and better public services.
Already, after just one day of the general strike, the struggle has forced the State to concede some of the demands made by the striking workers and the popular sectors. Today, on November 12, parliament partly approved some of the demands made by the strikers and housing movement, such as extended protection against eviction of vulnerable tenants, some restrictions on property purchases by real estate monopolies and limits on rent increases “in some areas.”
Servir al Pueblo reported on its X account the following participation in the strike according to the major unions: Automotive: 90%, Port workers 90%, Meat industry 85%, Garbage collection 82%, Energy sector 75%.
Servir al Pueblo has been actively reporting on the developments on their social media accounts, which you can follow here:
The Revolutionary Committees of the Spanish State published on its Instagram a video of the police charging protesters in Valencia during the November 11 general strike.
According to the latest reports, 75 people were detained throughout the Spanish State during the general strike.
We include some videos and pictures from the general strike that we have found on social media.
An anti-capitalist bloc marched in Valencia around midday, where police charged at the demonstrators in their march around Plaza del Ayuntamiento. Reports say that 4 people were detained in Valencia, three during a struggle on Tarongers Avenue, one of the main entrances to the city, where a large group had gathered to blockade the road, and defended the blockade against the police with fireworks. Three police were injured in the clashes. Another was detained during the afternoon, while allegedly sabotaging locks of businesses.
Later in the evening, 40,000 gathered in a march from Calle de Xàtiva, marching through the city ending at Plaza del Ayuntamiento, with unions, workers, housing activists and various popular sectors participating.
Reports estimate around 60% participation in the general strike in Valencia.
In Madrid, reports estimate that around 400,000 participated in the march, with the main slogans during the march demanding affordable housing, increased wages and a reduction of prices, along with condemning government policy and real estate monopolies hoarding of property.
Earlier in the day, at the pickets outside of Mercamadrid, police attacked the strikers with pepper spray. Pickets at the municipal bus depots were also attacked by the police.
The latest reports indicate that 8 people were detained in Madrid.
In Mataro, near Barcelona, blockades were put up with burning tires and debris, as part of one of 80 roads blockaded in Catalonia.
There were also multiple clashes in the demonstrations in the streets of Barcelona, where clashes were widespread, and burning barricades were erected against the police, who attacked with water cannons and batons.
Three CNT and CGT union members were arrested in Zamora, and police charged against pickets in Burgos.
