CULTURE SPAIN – GENERAL STRIKE IN SPAIN (TODAY!)

General Strike in Spain - The Winds of Change?

It is, of course, far too early to tell what the consequences of the general strike in Spain will be, as it is happening now…  Not least, the truth is difficult to discern from the ‘spin’ of the unions and the Spanish government – and the hype of the media!

However, for what it is worth, the majority of people seem to be working in my area (Gandia in Valencia Province).  Indeed, a rough straw poll (pretty worthless, really!) amongst the people I know, seems to indicate that things are much quieter than normal but in an undramatic way.  There are, for example few lorries on the streets.

However, my son will be attending his university as usual today, Mercadonna branches (like Tesco) are open and all five pediatricians working alongside a Spanish friend’s partner (a doctor) are at work.  Indeed, I gather that of the 20 GPs that she knows – only two are supporting the general strike in Spain.

Meanwhile, my daughter is at home as she declares that her state secondary school will be strike bound to some extent(!) whatever that means.  Some teachers from her school, evidently will be on strike and others not.  Frankly, I suspect that the truth is that the children, including my daughter, have grabbed the opportunity to have a day off – regardless of national politics and teachers’ attendance!

The media, at the moment, are saying that the government is content, as everything is pretty much normal.  This is echoed, rather charmingly, by the unions who are saying that the general strike in Spain today is a great success.  They are citing the fact that energy levels have dropped to weekend rates.  If the latter is true then it may be a good illustration of the real overall impact of the strike.

Certainly, I suspect, that the most pertinent comment about the general strike in Spain that I have heard came from the man who delivered my boiler fuel yesterday.  When asked about the general strike in Spain, he shrugged his shoulders and said that he would be working.  Unless he did – he would not be paid.

‘The strike’, my boiler fuel man said, ‘is pointless.  The economy is in a terrible state and the strike will not help.  Anyway,’ he continued, ‘the only people who could afford to strike are the funcionarios (civil servants) and those on long term contracts’.

Of course, this is of no consolation if you are travelling in, to or from Spain and battling the disruption of cancelled flights and trains.  If you have this experience then I would be interested to know how you get along.

To some extent, the impact of the general strike in Spain will be felt tomorrow.  If lorries are not running then the restocking of shops and stores will not have occurred.  Equally, airplanes may be in the wrong places and trains out of sync.

So, regardless of the overall importance of the aim of the general strike in Spain, it will have, at the very least, some disruptive influence upon us all.  However, will it change anything in Spain?  I doubt it…

RELATED INFO.  Minimal services. Will grandparents strike? The realities of work in Spain.