The 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 Ministry of Labor maintains its intention to approve the increase in the interprofessional minimum wage (SMI) before the end of the legislature. As the Secretary of State for Labor, Joaquín Pérez Rey, indicated this Wednesday, the will is to push forward the 2027 update "as soon as possible." And the facts demonstrate this: this Wednesday, the ministry has summoned the employer associations – CEOE and Cepyme – and the unions – CCOO and UGT – to address the increase. At the social dialogue table, in addition, the proposal from the committee of experts will be presented, which advises that, for the coming year, the SMI should be raised by 4.9%, up to 1,281 gross euros in 14 payments, as explained in a press conference by Pérez Rey. Currently it is 1,221 euros.

Montse Sánchez (l'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 1981) combines her leadership of the General Confederation of Labor (CGT, the third largest union in terms of membership in Catalonia) with her job at Seat, from which she is not released from work duties. The union is one of the main promoters of the general strike called for next November 11 throughout the State, and it participates in initiatives such as the Strike House (Casa de la Vaga), located at the central faculty of the University of Barcelona. Currently, the CGT is in a moment of great expansion. According to them, the increase in members is mainly due to their commitment to conflict.

From the present, it may seem that we have never lived in such a dark era, with such an uncertain future and such accumulated hopelessness. If one looks back, however, insurrection has often taken hold of the streets of Barcelona. Sometimes, the response has been fierce repression—including executions—and without any victory for the insurgents. Other times, citizen mobilization has brought down governments and caused irreversible changes. In fact, many current rights would not exist without great mobilizations.

The accident in Adamuz, in Andalusia, in January and the one a few days ago in Toledo are different. With the reservations imposed on us by the urgency of the analysis, we can say that the first was caused by insufficient maintenance of the infrastructure, of the rail, while the second occurred due to a human error in the emergency system, that is to say, what is usually called procedures and practices.

A strike on the "offensive". This is how the general secretary of Comissions Obreres de Catalunya, Belén López, defined the general strike scheduled for November 11th this Thursday, the first 24-hour strike in 14 years. "It is an opportunity for trade unionism to change its stride," assured the leader of the Principality's majority union in a meeting with journalists, adding that "the era of reaching agreements has ended, unfortunately."

The Spanish government guaranteed this Tuesday to the unions CSIF, CCOO and UGT that the salary of public employees will rise by 4.5% starting January 1, 2027, just as both parties agreed upon in the framework agreement they signed last November. This was communicated by the three unions after meeting with the Ministry of Digital Transformation and Public Function within the framework of the monitoring commission for this agreement, which provided for an overall salary increase for the more than three million public employees of 11% for the 2025-2028 period.

The major trade unions are calling for a minimum wage (SMI) increase of at least 7% by 2027, placing it above 1,300 euros per month. In a joint press conference held by the UGT and CCOO in Madrid, both organizations defended an increase that would update the threshold to at least 1,306 gross euros paid over 14 installments, or 1,524 euros over twelve. Currently, the state minimum wage is 1,221 gross euros in fourteen payments, which is equivalent to 1,424 euros in twelve monthly installments.

The Tenants' Union has been flirting for days with the idea of a general strike in the face of the housing emergency. In fact, after the two decrees of the Spanish government fell this Friday, this has been the first proclamation: "Towards the general strike!" It is also the slogan under which they have called for demonstrations across the State for this weekend. But they are not the only ones. The proposal is also on the table of CCOO and the UGT, which are holding talks with the movement for the right to housing to assess the option of a stoppage, as confirmed by different union sources consulted by ARA. "It has not been said no to the scenario of a general strike. It is open," the same sources indicate.

Workplace accidents continue their upward trend in Catalonia. After a particularly critical 2025, which left figures at a decade-high of workplace deaths, in the first half of 2026, up to sixty work-related deaths have been registered in the Principality. According to data from the Observatory of Work and the Productive Model of the Generalitat disseminated by Comissions Obreres, between January and June, 43 people have lost their lives during working hours, 10.26% more than the previous year. To this figure must be added the seventeen accidents in transit (on the commute to or from work), 70% more than in the same period last year.

The president of the CEOE, Antonio Garamendi, has celebrated the “sensitivity” of the leader of the Popular Party, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, to the “problem” of labor absenteeism. Garamendi has advocated for “sitting down and talking with everyone” to tackle what has become the main battleground for Spanish employers.

With the continuity of Pedro Sánchez's government in the spotlight, the general secretary of CCOO, Unai Sordo, has come out in defense of the president of the Spanish executive: "I believe he will not step down from the presidency, nor do I think he should, he must exhaust all that remains of his term", he stated during his speech at the summer course of the Menéndez Pelayo International University and the Association of Journalists of Economic Information, held this week in Santander.

For days, Madrid has been a hub for major events – the Pope's visit coincided with ten Bad Bunny concerts – and European trade unionism has wanted to do its bit. This week, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) chose the Palacio Vistalegre in the Spanish capital as a stage for a show of strength, but also to warn Europe that it will act as a containment wall against all proposals that, in its opinion, represent a step backwards in labor rights and human rights.

“More industry, but, above all, of better quality”: Salvador Illa and the country's main economic agents have sealed this Monday the new National Pact for Industry. The roadmap until 2030 foresees an investment of almost 4,500 million euros in 190 actions comprised in five major areas, such as innovation or employment. During his speech, the President of the Generalitat emphasized that the agreement "is not a sectoral pact" but a "national and future pact". The text has been agreed with the two main employers' associations in the territory, Foment del Treball and Pimec, and the two majority trade unions, Comisiones Obreras (CCOO) and UGT. The objective: that by 2030 industry represents 25% of Catalonia's gross domestic product (GDP), the macroeconomic indicator that measures the monetary value of all final goods and services produced within a territory.

The Generalitat signs a pre-agreement with the unions representing the majority of the sector and, on the other hand, a very broad majority of teachers who participated in the consultation reject it. It is not the first time something similar has happened. In December 2023, the Department of Health reached an agreement with the majority unions, also in nursing, and on the other hand there was an indefinite strike that lasted more than 40 days, led by organizations that until then were very minority. The major farmers' mobilizations in February 2024 were not led by the majority union Unió de Pagesos nor any other agricultural union, but by a new organization called Revolta Pagesa which operated outside the established representation.

Catalan employers' associations and trade unions will participate in the decision-making of the parity consortium for investments between the State and the Generalitat. The budget agreement ratified by the Govern and Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya this Tuesday foresees the creation of an advisory council to "guide the functions" of the body, as well as the investment company that must be established to guarantee its execution. This was confirmed by the executive to the most representative economic organizations –CCOO, UGT, Pimec, and Foment del Treball– in the meeting they held, the four of them, with the Minister of Economy and Finance, Alícia Romero, and the Minister of the Presidency, Albert Dalmau, this Tuesday. The representatives of workers and employers have welcomed the proposal, although they have assured that "the small print still needs to be read".

Suddenly, the protesters begin to shout: "Out, police!" Shortly after, two people leave the protest walking and disappear around a corner. Who are they? Normally, a pair of agents from the Mossos d'Esquadra, from the General Information Commissioner's Office, who dress in plain clothes and listen closely to the demonstrations, especially those that may have a violent component. Now, let's assume that the demonstration has ended in riots and the protesters gather in an assembly to decide the next steps. It is also not strange that there are camouflaged Mossos agents to hear what they will do.

The Spanish government approved a new call for public jobs this Tuesday. Specifically, the Council of Ministers has approved 27,232 public positions for 2026, as explained by the Minister for Digital Transformation and Public Function, Óscar López, at a press conference. The call, however, comes without the endorsement of the majority unions in the public service, who have denounced the lack of negotiation. All in all, this is a smaller call than that of 2025 (36,588 public positions in the State).

This time we have had a more representative May Day compared to some of the preceding years. In the events called for by the unions, the emotional chord was struck deeply, in mobilizations that respond to a specific political and social situation and that carry a clear message. The main celebration was held in Malaga for various reasons, starting with the fact that Andalusia votes on May 17. The call has allowed for an image of a certain unity of the left, which we already know does not exist in political terms. However, it has become clear that there are indeed essential points of coincidence, susceptible of becoming driving ideas for future initiatives, especially as the general elections approach. The fact that María Jesús Montero and Yolanda Díaz coincided at the Malaga demonstration does not reduce their differences, but it does reflect a common denominator on key issues.

Thousands of people participated this midday in the demonstration called by UGT and CCOO in Barcelona for Worker's Day, the central event of the day of protests in Catalonia. The Urban Guard put the participation in the protest at 2,500 people, while the organizers estimated there were between 10,000 and 15,000. Workers have mobilized spurred by international geopolitical instability and the electoral calendar in the State.