CCOO and UGT have launched attacks against the decision of the Standing Committee to overturn Royal Decree-Law 28/2026, which provided for the automatic extension of rental contracts, and they have urged the future Executive that emerges from the general elections of November 29 to place housing policy among the central matters of the next legislature, regardless of whatever majority is formed.
In particular, they deplored that political formations continue to exist that are willing to "block necessary measures to provide stability and security for the majority of households".
In a joint statement, the two labor unions have positively assessed the validation of the other Royal Decree-Law on housing, which incorporates a broad package of actions, believing that it represents progress in strengthening the social function of housing and raising the level of protection for people who are tenants.
With regard to this text, they emphasize that it includes historical demands from both organizations, such as the regulation of temporary and room-by-room rentals, the suspension of evictions of vulnerable households without alternative housing, greater rights for people who are tenants, limits on certain speculative purchases, and tax measures on vacant homes and tourist accommodations.
Likewise, they have highlighted the permanent protection of the public housing stock and the new instruments to increase the supply of affordable housing, although they have reiterated that these advances are "important, but insufficient". In this regard, they have stated that part of their effectiveness is conditioned on the Autonomous declaration of stressed areas, that some provisions are temporary in nature, and that tax incentives require greater progressivity.
For this reason, they have called for strengthening the registers, the inspection work, and the sanctioning regime, as well as for promoting a stable public stock of affordable and social housing, accompanied by public investment that reaches, at a minimum, 1% of GDP.
Criticism of the rejection of RDL 28
With regard to the rejection of the decree that contemplated automatic extensions, CCOO and UGT have expressed their dissatisfaction because the mobilization of November 11 has not managed to change the position of the PNV, especially after the social response recorded in Spain and, "particularly in the Basque Country".
According to the unions, the general strike and the subsequent demonstrations showed that access to decent housing is a central concern for the working class and for the majority of society. For this reason, they have emphasized that preventing the validation of a rule aimed at strengthening residential stability just 24 hours later amounts to “turning our back on that message from society”.
Both organizations have warned that the non-validation of this Royal Decree-law is “particularly worrying”, considering that it would have introduced a structural change in favor of “greater rental stability”, “extending contractual relationships” and making it difficult for the mere expiration of the contract to be used to “evict” the tenant people and bring the homes back onto the market at “much higher” prices.
They have also attacked the positions of the PP, Vox and Junts and denounced the “political insensitivity” which, in their view, is implied by repeatedly rejecting instruments intended to limit speculation, protect tenant people, and strengthen the social function of housing. In their view, these stances consolidate a model supported by rent-seeking and by the growing prominence of large investors and vulture funds.
With a view to the next legislature, UGT and CCOO have called for regulation that guarantees the stability of rental contracts, the full rollout of the measures approved this Thursday, the sustained expansion of the public stock of permanent protection, raising investment to, at least, 1% of GDP, curbing speculation and the abusive use of temporary and tourist rentals, and strengthening public inspection and control capacity.
“After the social response of November 11, persisting in blocking, or in defending, a market subject to the logic of private profitability would be a serious political irresponsibility,” they have warned, before concluding that “housing cannot wait; it needs concrete actions”.