On Wednesday, October 15, Spain is expecting a large wave of workplace protests. The country’s largest unions, including CC OO and UGT, as well as the independent organization CGT, are not backing down from their plans, despite recent news of an agreed ceasefire plan between HAMAS and Israel. According to them, the reasons to show solidarity with the Palestinian people remain relevant.
The organizers announced partial work stoppages and a full strike across the country. CC OO and UGT are urging employees of both public and private companies to join the protest to oppose Israel’s actions and to support demands for a fair distribution of resources. CGT, for its part, insists on the need to revise government spending in favor of workers and against increasing military budgets.
The partial work stoppages initiated by CC OO and UGT will take place during three time slots: from 2 to 4 a.m., from 10 a.m. to noon, and from 5 to 7 p.m. CGT is proposing a more radical option—a full 24-hour strike on the same day. All workers, regardless of whether there is a union committee at their workplace, may participate in any form of the protest. Even if management has not been notified about the strike, everyone has the right to join the action.
Participation in a strike or partial work stoppage will affect your pay: for a full day of absence, an employee loses about 1.4 days’ wages, while a two-hour stoppage results in roughly a quarter of a day’s pay being deducted. For example, if the daily wage is 80 euros, about 112 euros will be withheld for a strike day, and around 28 euros for two hours. Employees are not required to notify their employer in advance about their intention to participate in the action, nor must they specify the form of protest chosen.
In critical sectors such as healthcare, education, and transport, minimum staffing requirements will be established. These standards are set by local authorities, and unions often challenge them in court if they consider them excessive. Despite peace initiatives in the Middle East, Spanish unions believe their protests are necessary to draw attention to the issues in Palestine and to defend workers’ rights.
