A strike at Barça shakes the classic

BarcelonaBarça will experience a weekend marked by the labor conflict with discontinuous permanent workers, employees with an indefinite contract who work periodically according to the club's needs, and who have called a strike coinciding with the 'Clásico' against Real Madrid at Camp Nou (9 PM). The mobilization, promoted by CCOO, will begin at 12 AM on Friday, October 23rd, and will last until 6 AM on Monday the 26th. The union denounces a deterioration of working conditions, lack of personnel, inequality among workers, and non-compliance with agreements and the collective bargaining agreement. It also criticizes the progressive reduction of the workforce while some services are handed over to external companies. From Barça, it is assured that "the announced mobilization does not put the celebration of the 'Clásico' or the rest of the matches at risk" and maintains that "the club has enough organizational capacity to face the strike without problems".

From 90 employees to about sixty

"We do not want to go on strike. We want to work," asserts Olga Marín, spokesperson for the Barça permanent seasonal workers' strike committee, to ARA. The group reports that the staff has gone from having 90 workers two years ago to about sixty currently, after the club stopped filling vacancies and retirements starting in October 2024. "Every day we have to juggle to see who has to do more work because there aren't enough people," explains Marín, who demands that Barça sit down to negotiate to guarantee the continuity of the staff and adequate working conditions. The current 60 workers serve to cover services during a major match like a Clásico, although they believe that "there should be many more of us."

According to the spokesperson, this lack of staff has favored that some services are covered by external companies. The most evident case, she assures, is that of the parking lots, where externally contracted assistants work. She maintains that the club prioritizes seasonal permanent workers for roles that are more difficult to replace, such as access control, event production, and the attention of the areas vip.

A strike beyond the 'Clásico'

The coincidence with the Barça-Madrid match places the conflict in one of the most important showcases of the season, but the strike is not limited to men's football. It will also affect matches at the Palau Blaugrana and the Johan Cruyff stadium, along with activities for the youth categories at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper. "At the Johan and the Palau, we are the ones who open the doors," explains Marín. Without these workers, the opening of access points could be affected, he warns.

At the Camp Nou, the discontinuous permanent staff manage issues with tickets and season passes, control access to the locker rooms, and coordinate the placement of photographers and media cameras. "We have the club's tools to be able to resolve issues on the spot," he emphasizes, while noting that this prevents members from having to travel to the Supporter Services Office. At the Ciutat Esportiva, their work includes setting up and dismantling field logistics, guiding the public, and preventing access to restricted areas.

Barcelonista Attention Office at the Camp Nou premises

For Marín, familiarity with the operation of each facility is key to resolving unforeseen events that may arise during events. "We adapt to each type of event and we are prepared for anything that might happen," she states. The spokesperson does not specify what the follow-up to the strike will be: "I have no idea. I can't imagine anything, to be honest." However, she questions whether the matches can be held with the same normalcy if the strike is supported: "The match will be able to be played and the operations can go ahead, but not as well as always and it runs the risk of going wrong."

The spokesperson insists that the call does not respond to a demand for economic improvements, but rather to the need to guarantee the continuity and increase of the staff and adequate working conditions: "We are not asking for salary improvements, but to have a certain security and peace of mind every time we come to work." The workers ask Barça to listen to their demands and open a negotiation to find a solution to the conflict.

Barça's response

From Barça, they explain that the permanent seasonal workers are demanding salary improvements and a 50% increase in the workforce, up to 90 employees. The club argues that its model of in-house staff for certain auxiliary services has become "obsolete" and that other teams, such as Real Madrid, Atlético de Madrid, or Espanyol, outsource these functions. However, it maintains that the strike does not put the celebration of the Clásico or the rest of the matches at risk, because there is sufficient organizational capacity to ensure they proceed normally.