Minimum services in Catalonia, more restrictive than in the rest of the State

BarcelonaThe minimum services in Catalonia during Wednesday's general strike will be more restrictive, in general, than those in the rest of the State, according to reports from the various public administrations that have negotiated with the unions. In this regard, last week the employers' associations Foment del Treball and Pimec expressed "surprise" at minimum services in Catalonia that they described as "extremely low".

The clearest case is that of Rodalies, which in Catalonia will have a minimum service of 25% during peak hours and there will be no service for the rest of the day, a fact that contrasts with the 75% during peak hours and 50% for the rest of the day on a national scale for Cercanías services in cities such as Madrid, Seville or Valencia, among others. Regarding the rest of the rail services, for medium distance, the minimum services on a national scale will be 65%; in the case of high-speed and long-distance, 73%, and freight, 26%.

It must be taken into account, however, that these minimum services are for the general strike and not for the two additional days of strike called by Renfe train drivers, Tuesday the 10th and Thursday the 12th. In the case of Catalonia, in Rodalies de Catalunya, between 25% and 66% of the usual volume of trains will operate, while in the case of the rest of the train services and Cercanías in the rest of the autonomous communities, the decreed minimum services are the same as those of the 11th, with the exception of 20% for freight.

The Rodalies minimum services also apply to the rest of Catalan public transport –including the Barcelona metro, Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat, and urban and interurban buses–, which clashes with those agreed upon in other autonomous communities. For example, in Madrid, the metro will operate at 80% during peak hours and at 50% for the rest of the day, while in Valencia the Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat Valenciana will have service levels of 80% and the metro and buses, between 70% and 80%.

In relation to air transport, the minimums at the state level are between 56% and 85% of flights between the Peninsula and the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, Ceuta, and Melilla. And the Ministry for Ecological Transition has set at 20% the minimum number of gas stations that must be open on Wednesday in each region.

Education and healthcare

Catalonia has agreed on one teacher for every six classes in primary schools, with 50% of the staff for special education centers and 33% for preschool, dining halls, and other activities. Madrid will have broader figures, with one teacher for every 50 students in primary and preschool (approximately one for every two classes), as well as Valencia, where it has been set at one teacher for every four lines.

In healthcare, Catalonia guarantees 100% of all emergencies and treatments that cannot be postponed, but the rest will operate as on a public holiday. This measure has also been taken in the Valencian Community for hospitals, while primary care centers will operate like on a Saturday. The government of the Community of Madrid, for its part, has agreed on 35% for hospitals and minimum staffing levels according to the volume of the primary care centers.