CEOE and Cepyme assure that the general strike of this Wednesday, 11 November, is having low follow-up in most sectors and territories, although they acknowledge greater participation in areas with more union presence. In their first assessment of the day, the business organizations have also warned about the difficulties that pickets are causing in order to access industrial estates and cities such as Barcelona, Valencia and Seville, in addition to the Port of Algeciras.
To assess the impact of the stoppages, the employers’ associations are gathering information from their territorial organizations and associated companies, as well as analyzing the evolution of electricity consumption. According to the data they had after 8:00 a.m., electricity demand had fallen by around 10%, compared with declines of more than 14% in previous strikes.
With regard to pickets, CEOE and Cepyme denounce incidents on access to workplaces and demand that the right of those who have decided not to take part in the strike be guaranteed. They also state that, with the information available first thing in the morning, the minimum services established were being complied with.
In their statement, the business organizations have condemned the acts of vandalism reported in the days prior against real estate companies and the office takeovers carried out by groups that are not union-affiliated. They also insist that during the strike the right to work of those who want to carry out their activity normally must be respected.
Unions provide figures of significantly higher levels of follow-up
The business assessment contrasts with the first estimates from CCOO and UGT, which have put the follow-up to the strike at between 41% in communities such as Extremadura and Castilla-La Mancha and 75% in Andalusia and Aragón, according to the data corresponding to the close of the night shift and the start of the working day.
The unions have acknowledged major differences between territories and sectors, with a greater incidence in industrial areas and communities with greater housing access problems. Their first estimates still did not include much of retail trade, education, the Public Administration and private services.
The day has begun with road closures, pickets at logistics centers and wholesale markets, and police interventions in different parts of Spain. At Mercamadrid, CCOO has denounced police charges and the use of pepper spray against the participants in the protests, while in Catalonia there have been traffic interruptions on roads such as the AP-7 and the A-2.
The general strike, called to demand salary improvements and measures that make access to housing easier, comes after several weeks of confrontation between the unions and the employers’ association. The CEOE had questioned the labor-related nature of the call and had even announced its intention to challenge it, although it ultimately ruled out appealing it before its celebration.