Ibiza experienced relatively limited disruption during the morning and early afternoon of Spain's general strike on Wednesday, 11 November 2026, with most businesses open and public services continuing to operate. Although union pickets caused temporary traffic interruptions around Ibiza Town, essential services, public transport and waste collection were largely maintained.

The strike, called over housing affordability, wages and employment rights, affected different sectors to varying degrees across Ibiza and Formentera. However, the situation reported locally during the first part of the day was largely calm, with many workers continuing their normal activities.

Shops and Public Services Remain Open

Businesses across Ibiza were generally operating as usual, including shops, supermarkets, bars and clothing stores.

According to local reporting, there was no obvious reduction in commercial activity during the morning. Public services also continued to operate, with the minimum service arrangements established for the strike helping to maintain essential transport and other services.

Waste collection in Ibiza took place without reported incidents. In Formentera, employees of the waste management contractor Prezero did not join the stoppage, according to Cadena SER.

Public transport also continued operating. Although some occasional delays were reported, buses maintained services and some journeys operated beyond those included in the minimum-service requirements.

Air and maritime transport were also reported to be operating without significant incidents during the morning.

Union Pickets Cause Temporary Traffic Disruptions

The most visible disruption during the early hours occurred around Ibiza Town, where groups of union representatives and demonstrators organised pickets.

At approximately 07:00, dozens of people interrupted traffic at the Joan XXIII roundabout, affecting both directions of Avenida Sant Antoni de Portmany. The disruption also affected the E-10 towards Can Misses, one of the main routes serving Ibiza Town.

The pickets subsequently moved towards the Cetis bus station and other parts of the city. Local Police and National Police officers attended the affected areas.

The temporary interruptions caused traffic congestion and delays for some road users, including buses. However, the blockages did not develop into a widespread interruption of transport services across the island.

Participation Varies Between Schools and Public Administrations

The level of participation in the strike differed considerably between workplaces and sectors.

Cadena SER reported particularly high student participation in certain year groups at IES Quartó de Portmany, where 95% of students in the third and fourth years of compulsory secondary education and the first and second years of Bachillerato joined the stoppage. Teacher participation at the same school was reported at 20%.

At Can Misses school in Ibiza Town, teacher participation was reported at 5%, with an average of six pupils absent per classroom.

Figures published later by Cadena SER also showed relatively low participation among employees of the island's public administrations.

At the Ibiza Island Council, 37 of its 819 employees joined the strike, representing 4.5%. At the Formentera Island Council, 30 of 396 employees participated, equivalent to 7.5%.

At Ibiza Town Council, 32 of 402 employees joined the stoppage, representing 7.9%. This figure did not include Local Police personnel.

The Ibiza Island Council also reported that bus services had operated normally, with the number of journeys reduced by just 4% compared with a regular working day.

These figures relate specifically to the respective public administrations and should not be interpreted as overall strike participation across the islands.

Emergency Healthcare Services Continue Operating

Emergency services at hospitals and health centres remained operational during the reported period.

However, patients could experience delays or postponements involving routine appointments, as some healthcare workers participated in the strike and minimum service arrangements were applied.

The continued operation of emergency services helped ensure that urgent medical care remained available throughout the day.

Main Demonstration Scheduled for the Afternoon

The main demonstration in Ibiza was scheduled to begin at 18:00 on Wednesday.

The planned route started at Plaça de Julià Verdera in Figueretes, continuing along the seafront and Avenida de España before reaching Parque Reina Sofía in Ibiza Town.

The demonstration was expected to bring together workers and supporters of the strike, with housing affordability, wages and the rising cost of living among the central issues raised by the unions.

A Strike Day with Limited Disruption in Ibiza

The situation reported during the morning and early afternoon of 11 November suggested that Ibiza's daily activities had continued relatively normally despite the nationwide strike.

Most shops remained open, waste collection and public transport continued operating, and emergency healthcare services remained available. The main visible effects were temporary traffic interruptions caused by union pickets and varying levels of participation across education and public administration.

The scheduled afternoon demonstration was still to take place at the time of the reports, meaning the final impact of the strike across Ibiza and Formentera remained to be assessed.