Spain’s two largest trade unions, UGT and CCOO, called a 24-hour nationwide general strike for 11 November 2026 under the slogan “Wages, housing and prices.” The PP’s official X account illustrated the stoppage with an AI-generated image of three unionists sharing a seafood meal. Its caption read: “Se acerca un momento crítico de la huelga… el aperitivo” (“A critical moment of the strike is approaching… the appetizer”).
UGT replied with a message promising a different menu: “Tranquilos, que hoy el menú es otro: vivienda digna, salarios justos y precios asequibles. De eso sí que queremos que todo el mundo pueda repetir”. The Spanish text refers to decent housing, fair wages and affordable prices. The unions framed the strike around housing affordability, pressure on real wages and the cost of essential goods. They demanded wage rises of 4% to 7%, rent controls and a permanent supply of protected public housing.
The response drew criticism from users who accused the union of raising those issues after years of a Socialist government. Some invoked “comegambas”, a longstanding insult aimed at UGT and CCOO members, while others questioned the unions’ public subsidies and reliance on them. Education unions also joined the mobilization, extending its platform to public services, healthcare, care services, public transport and education. In their joint statement, the unions argued that employment and wages no longer reliably guarantee the ability to meet living costs or access decent housing.
One reply asked whether the menu had been different during the eight years the commenters said the unions had had to act. Critics also used the phrase “los perros callejeros del sanchismo” in comments about the strike. The source material says María Jesús Montero had described the stoppage as political and directed against the opposition. UGT leader Pepe Álvarez said the strike concerned every level of government. CCOO leader Unai Sordo called on political parties to commit public resources to between 1.5 million and 2 million protected-price homes in the coming years. The strike took place ahead of Spain’s scheduled 29 November general election.
The PP image also recalled a seafood meal involving Antonio Rodrigo, then IU spokesman in Seville, and Fernando Mellet, the principal accused in the Mercasevilla case. Press reports at the time said the meal cost more than €1,000 and was paid for with public money. During the 11 November strike, the unions reported participation of 90% in automotive and port activities, 85% in the meat industry, 82% in waste collection and 75% in energy. The figures were union estimates, and participation was also described as uneven across Spain. A separate RUSSPAIN report covered strike pickets disrupting roads in Valencia, including three affected routes.
The “comegambas” label has also appeared in online videos and memes. A Mercamálaga worker recorded a video at his workplace, joking that pickets let him work after he said he was “the one with the prawns”. Pickets were also reported at Mercamadrid, Mercabarna and Mercabilbao, as well as at Seat Martorell and ArcelorMittal facilities. UGT and CCOO described the action as Spain’s first general strike in 14 years. Their leaders declared it a success, while noting that participation varied across the country.
