Gran Canaria general strike 11 November: flights 52–85%

What applies to visitors on Gran Canaria on 11 November?

A general strike runs from 00:00 to 24:00 on Wednesday 11 November across Spain, including the Canary Islands. It affects the whole country, not just Gran Canaria.

The transport ministry set minimum services for flights between the islands, Ceuta, Melilla and the mainland at 52 to 85%. That is meant to protect around 90% of passengers.

Which figure applies at Gran Canaria airport is not confirmed. Nobody can say how many workers will strike before the day itself.

A source asked on 7 November had reported no minimum services for the guaguas on Gran Canaria, and none had been confirmed by Monday. The bus company Global is among the firms joining the strike.

Anyone flying on 11 November should check their airline’s app first. For buses, the research points to Guaguas Municipales, Global and the Autoridad Única del Transporte de Gran Canaria (the island’s transport authority).

What changes at schools, the university, hospitals and ports?

The Consejería de Educación (the Canaries’ education department) ordered all public schools except universities to open. Each school must have at least one member of its management team present to secure “the protection of minors”, as the order puts it.

In nurseries and primary schools, one teacher joins management for up to eight groups, then one per eight classes. Secondary and vocational schools get one teacher per ten groups.

In special-needs schools, management and half the teaching staff stay on duty. Parents should therefore expect open schools, but sometimes thinner supervision.

At the ULPGC university, the rector’s office decided on 9 November that absences on strike day will not be penalised. Teaching is not cancelled across the board, and exams already scheduled may go ahead.

Anyone absent because of transport problems or another objective reason gets a resit date or an equivalent exam. The research found no Canary minimum services for hospitals and ports, so notices may come from the Servicio Canario de Salud (the Canary health service) or the BOC (the Canaries’ official gazette).

When and where is the march in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria?

The march starts at 18:00 at Plaza de Santa Catalina and ends at Plaza de la Feria. There the manifesto with the demands will be read out.

The source, however, says “this Saturday” for the march, which does not fit Wednesday 11 November. The day is therefore unconfirmed, so check with the organisers before you go.

The Unidad Sindical bloc leads, followed by the Acampada por la vivienda bloc under the banner “Por una vivienda y una vida digna”. That is the movement that earlier camped in the island’s squares to demand housing.

A storm, Borrasca Charles, is forecast for strike day.

Why are workers striking?

The trigger was the death of Maricarmen, an 87-year-old woman who was evicted in Madrid and died in hospital a few days later. Housing decrees then went to Congress, and Spain called new elections.

According to CCOO, rent in the Canaries swallows on average 100% of the average wage. The union also cites 211,000 empty homes and a social-housing share of about 1%.

The Federación Sindical Canaria (FSC) puts the wage gap to the Spanish average at about 500 euros. By the FSC’s count, growth is 2.85% in the Canaries and 2.7% in Spain, yet the islands rank last for income per head.

Housing groups demand the expropriation of 500,000 empty homes held by large owners, and wages and pensions tied to inflation and housing costs. They also want an end to evictions and a ban on the firms that carry them out.

The unions want lower prices for basic foods, an end to the privatisation of public services and more labour inspections. They call it a labour strike but do not rule out a political side.

Who called the strike, and what happened in 2012?

According to the education order, CGT, CCOO, UGT, Intersindical, the Unión de Actores y Actrices and STEC-IC called the strike. On Gran Canaria it is backed by UGT, CCOO, Intersindical Canaria, the FSC and the Frente Sindical Obrero de Canarias.

Las Kellys and the Derecho al Techo platform also support it. From industry, the hotel and catering section of CCOO, STEC, the shipyards and the dockworkers join in.

It is the first 24-hour general strike by the big unions since 2012. On 14 November 2012, CCOO, UGT and USO reported 77% turnout and 9.1 million strikers, and no Canary figures were found.

The authorities set minimum services, not the unions. According to the law firm Cuatrecasas, employers point out that only the time actually lost is deducted from pay.

What happens after 11 November?

Paula Núñez, spokesperson for Derecho al Techo, says: “This strike is not an end in itself, but the start of a new form of organising social struggle.” She wants alliances beyond the day, including a consumer strike.

The FSC does not rule out another general strike in the Canaries after 11 November. No date has been given.

Organisers plan information events in Las Palmas, the south-east of the island, Telde and the north. Times and venues have not yet been published.

Spain votes on 29 November, and the campaign starts on 13 November. UGT leader Manuel Navarro warns that things could worsen after the election, especially under a PP and Vox government.