CCOO and UGT have called a partial strike on the Rodalies de Catalunya network for May 27 and June 5, a protest that could complicate mobility on two days especially sensitive for workers, students, and regular train users.
The unions have formally registered the call after several days of studying new stoppages on the Catalan railway network. Although they are keeping the mediation route with the Generalitat open to try to resolve the conflict before the first strike day arrives, the warning is already on the table.
The protest has a double focus: on the one hand, the lack of safety in the service; on the other, the breach of agreements reached in February, including the presence of a conductor on each medium-distance train. CCOO and UGT also demand more staff and a salary increase.
What days are there strikes on Rodalies
The partial strike called by CCOO and UGT will affect, for now, two specific days:
- Wednesday, May 27
- Friday, June 5
This is not a total 24-hour strike, but partial stoppages distributed in several time slots of the day. Even so, the impact could be significant because the called-for periods affect times of high mobility, especially in the morning and afternoon.
Furthermore, the two days coincide with teaching strike days in Catalonia, within the calendar of mobilizations of the educational sector at the end of the school year. This coincidence could increase complications for families, students, and workers who depend on public transport to get around.
Schedules of the partial strike on Rodalies
According to the union's call, the partial stoppages have been planned in three time slots:
- From 3:00 AM to 6:00 AM
- From 6:00 AM to 9:00 AM
- From 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM
The most sensitive time slot will be from 6:00 AM to 9:00 AM, as it coincides with the early morning commutes to workplaces, universities, schools, and institutes. The 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM slot, which affects the afternoon return, could also be complicated.
The first slot, in the early morning, could impact workers with early shifts, connections with other transport, or users who need to travel before the ordinary start of the workday.
How it will affect you if you use Rodalies
If you use Rodalies to go to work, study, or make regular trips, it is most prudent to expect possible delays, fewer frequencies, and more crowded trains during the strike periods.
The concrete impact will depend on the minimum services that are set and how the negotiation between the unions and the Generalitat evolves. For now, the call has been registered, but there can still be mediation before May 27.
In practice, the user should take into account four key points:
- The morning of May 27 could be especially complicated between 6:00 AM and 9:00 AM.
- The afternoon return could be affected between 5:00 PM and 8:00 PM.
- The same scenario could be repeated on June 5 if there is no prior agreement.
- The coincidence with educational strikes could add pressure at stations, access points, and family travel.
What CCOO and UGT are demanding
CCOO and UGT maintain that the service needs more staff and more security. One of their main demands is that the agreement reached in February, which contemplated the presence of an inspector on each medium-distance train, be fulfilled.
The unions denounce that this commitment is not being applied and consider that the current situation leaves both workers and users exposed. They also demand an increase in staff and an improvement in salary conditions.
The demand for security is one of the keys to the conflict. It is not just an internal labor demand, but one that the unions link directly to the quality of service received by the passenger.
Why the strike is being called now
The call comes after CCOO and UGT warned that they were considering new mobilizations if there were no advances in their demands. Finally, this Friday they have registered the partial strike.
The unions maintain that they still aim to resolve the conflict through mediation with the Generalitat. In other words, the stoppages are not necessarily final until the end: they could be called off if an agreement is reached before the first marked date.
But the formal registration of the strike increases pressure on the administration and the service managers. The calendar is now working against them: there are less than two weeks left until the first strike on May 27.
The strike coincides with teacher strikes in Catalonia
One of the elements that could increase the impact of the strike is its coincidence with the mobilizations of the Catalan educational sector. May 27 and June 5 are also part of the planned teacher protest calendar for the end of the school year.
That coincidence can cause an especially difficult day for many families. If there are fewer trains or delays in Rodalies and, at the same time, educational centers are affected by strikes, the effect is multiplied.
It is not just a railway strike. It is a day when transport and education, two basic daily services, can be strained at the same time.
Which lines will be affected
The call is directed at the Rodalies de Catalunya network, although the specific impact by line will depend on the minimum services and the final organization of the operation.
For now, the key information for the user is that the strike affects the entire Rodalies network, so it is advisable to check the status of the service before traveling, especially if the journey is made during the strike periods.
The most delicate hours will be those of entering and leaving work. Even in the case of minimum services, there may be passenger accumulations, changes in frequency, or longer waiting times than usual.
What can happen before May 27
The scenario remains open. CCOO and UGT have already registered the strike, but the unions themselves expect their demands to be resolved in mediation with the Generalitat.
If there is an agreement, the strike could be called off. If not, Rodalies will face two days of partial strikes in the final stretch of May and the beginning of June.
The ball is now in the negotiation. The unions want guarantees on safety, personnel, compliance with agreements, and salaries. The Generalitat has room to try to defuse the conflict before the first day of the strike arrives.