Spain’s two largest trade unions, CCOO and UGT, have agreed to pursue a 24-hour general strike this autumn, linking the action to the growing housing crisis and their demand for wages that allow workers to afford a home.

The decision was announced on Monday, October 5, following meetings by the leadership bodies of both unions.

However, the strike has not yet been assigned a date and the decision must still be ratified by the unions’ highest governing bodies.

The organisations also plan to coordinate the date with social groups and the Sindicato de Inquilinas, which has been campaigning for a nationwide general strike over housing.

Housing and Wages at the Centre of the Action

According to CCOO and UGT, the central demand is for decent wages that allow workers to access decent housing.

The unions argue that rising housing costs, combined with the pressure on household incomes, have made access to housing an increasingly difficult issue for workers.

Their proposed action brings together two areas of their existing trade union agenda: wage negotiations and housing policy.

The unions are calling for measures that address both the cost of housing and workers’ purchasing power.

Among their wider housing demands are the development of a permanent public housing stock, measures to limit rental prices and effective implementation of Spain’s housing legislation across the country.

Decision Follows Defeat of Housing Measures in Congress

The announcement came after Congress rejected two government housing decrees on October 2.

CCOO and UGT had previously backed the measures and called for their approval.

The unions subsequently said they would bring the labour movement into the wider mobilisation around housing, working alongside social, neighbourhood and tenant organisations.

The planned general strike is therefore part of a broader campaign around access to housing rather than a dispute limited to a single company, sector or workplace.

Strike Date Has Not Been Set

At this stage, there is no confirmed date for the 24-hour stoppage.

CCOO and UGT have said that the date will be discussed with social organisations and the Sindicato de Inquilinas before being finalised.

The unions must also complete their internal ratification process.

This means workers, businesses and public authorities do not yet have a confirmed strike day to prepare for.

Election Calendar Adds Another Timing Issue

The announcement also came on the same day that Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced early general elections for November 29, 2026.

The official electoral timetable places the start of the campaign on November 13, with the campaign running for 15 days before the November 29 vote.

UGT Secretary General Pepe Álvarez said after the strike announcement that the unions would not schedule the general strike during the electoral campaign.

He indicated that November could be considered in discussions about timing, but stressed that the strike would not be held during the official campaign period.

The final date therefore remains subject to negotiations between the unions and the organisations involved.

What the Unions Are Demanding

The proposed strike is broader than a single demand over rent prices.

CCOO and UGT are also seeking progress in collective bargaining and wages.

The unions have proposed annual wage increases of between 4% and 7% as part of their position for the next employment and collective bargaining agreement, together with salary-review mechanisms and measures related to access to housing.

Their housing proposals include:

• A social and political agreement on the right to housing

• A permanent public housing stock

• Measures to limit rental prices

• Effective application of Spain’s housing law

• Greater consideration of housing costs in wage negotiations

The unions argue that employers and public administrations both have a role to play in addressing the relationship between wages and housing costs.

What This Means for Ibiza and the Balearic Islands

The proposed action is a nationwide general strike, rather than a strike specifically announced for Ibiza or the Balearic Islands.

If the action goes ahead, its effects in Ibiza and Formentera will depend on the final date, the level of participation among workers and the sectors affected.

No island-specific timetable or local strike arrangements had been announced by the national unions at the time of the announcement.

For residents, businesses and visitors, the most important information is therefore still pending: the final ratification, the date of the strike and the practical arrangements for participation.

A Strike Still in the Planning Stage

CCOO and UGT have taken a significant step towards a 24-hour general strike, but the process is not yet complete.

The unions still have to ratify the decision and agree on a date with the organisations involved.

For now, the confirmed position is that both unions intend to organise a general strike this autumn centred on the relationship between wages and access to housing.

Further details, including the exact day and the scope of planned industrial action, are expected once the unions complete their internal decisions and negotiations with the wider housing movement.