Spain Faces Nationwide General Strike on November 11; U.S. Embassy Warns Americans That Transport Will Run at Minimum Services Only
Madrid — The U.S. Embassy in Spain has issued an alert that a general strike is scheduled across Spain on November 11, with workers from all sectors, including hospitality and transportation, called to strike. The embassy advises Americans in Spain that public transportation will be limited to minimum services, that they should confirm travel plans with their train company or airline and expect delays, and that demonstrations, both planned and spontaneous, will occur across the country and can cause last-minute closures or cancellations; museums, shops, restaurants and pharmacies may also be closed.
The 24-hour general strike has been called by Spain's two largest unions, the Workers' Commissions (CCOO) and the General Union of Workers (UGT), over the housing crisis, including rising rents, evictions and the growing difficulty workers face in affording housing. It is the first general strike jointly backed by the two unions in 14 years.
Spain's Transport Ministry has confirmed that airlines must operate a minimum number of routes and that airports will not close, but operations will be reduced at major hubs including Madrid-Barajas and Barcelona-El Prat. American Airlines was the first carrier to issue a flexible rebooking waiver for passengers travelling to or from those two airports on November 11. In Catalonia, the regional government's minimum-service levels set metro, bus and regional rail services at 25 percent of normal during morning and evening peak periods.
(Source: U.S. Embassy in Spain)
Source: U.S. Embassy in Spain
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：马德里巴拉哈斯机场第四航站楼内景（资料图）。照片：Diego Delso 摄，CC BY-SA 3.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: Inside Terminal 4 of Madrid-Barajas Airport (file photo). Photo by Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
