Spain's biggest strike in 14 years: 4 million people on the streets
The general strike in Spain on November 11, which involves two major trade unions - the trade union confederation of workers' commissions (CC OO) and the general union of workers.
The general strike in Spain on November 11, which involves two major trade unions - the trade union confederation of workers' commissions (CC OO) and the General Union of workers (UGT), is recognized as the first major strike in the country in 14 years. According to estimates of the CC OO and UGT, on this day on the streets of Spanish cities could go about 4 million people.
The largest strike was recorded in Spain in November 2012, when about 150 unions and public organizations took part in protests against austerity measures and high unemployment.
Now among the main requirements are access to housing and increased wages. Participants of the strike plan to hold organized marches in some cities of Spain at about 18:00 local time (20:00 Minsk). - Editor's note.
In the morning, picketers blocked roads and burned tires in Valencia, Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Córdoba, Malaga and Zaragoza, the newspaper El Mundo said. According to El Pais, about a quarter of all high-speed trains in the country were canceled.
Protests in some Spanish cities turned into clashes with police. In Madrid, at least 13 people sought medical care after police used pepper gas during a protest at a Mercamadri market. According to the EFE news agency, the country’s law enforcement agencies have so far recorded about 476 “incidents related to the strike” and detained about 40 people across the country.
The general strike disrupted several TV channels. Andalusian regional television channel Canal Sur Television has completely stopped broadcasting for five hours, while its employees staged a strike. The company apologized to viewers for failing to reach an agreement with the strike committee on an alternative broadcast program. About 50 participants of the picket broke into the studio of the Catalan division of the Spanish broadcaster RTVE in Barcelona during a live broadcast. The EFE agency clarified that people with closed faces unfurled posters with demands related to the general strike in the country.
