Spain's First General Strike in 14 Years Puts the Housing Crisis Front and Center
Millions of workers walked off the job over soaring rents and the cost of living, less than three weeks before a snap national election.
By CARLOS MENDOZAReal Estate & Housing · Nov 11, 9:30 AM
WASHINGTON — Spain is in the grip of its first general strike in 14 years, with millions of workers walking off the job to demand action on the country's housing crisis and the rising cost of living, France 24 reported.
The two main unions behind the strike, UGT and CCOO, reported widespread participation in the early hours, with significant work stoppages in strategic sectors, The Hindu reported. Deutsche Welle reported that workers across nearly every industry joined picket lines as rents soar. The Financial Times reported that the unions are protesting soaring housing costs and low wages.
Disruption to public transport and widespread business closures were expected across the country, France 24 reported. El País reported that the unions called for massive participation but expected turnout to be uneven, depending on how hard the housing crisis has hit each region, and that they were counting on large afternoon demonstrations over workers' lost purchasing power.
Behind the numbers are young Spaniards who cannot afford a place of their own. Al Jazeera spoke with protesters who described being stuck in their parents' homes or forced into cramped, overpriced rentals with little security, including one who said he pays about $500 for a room of…