The general strike called for this Wednesday is, at its start, registering “very broad” participation in the Basque Country and Navarre. According to ELA, in both communities “activity is much more limited than on ordinary days and is notable for the lower density of traffic.”
The union points out that production is “stopped in many industrial estates” and that in private services “the strike is being highlighted.” By contrast, the impact on public services is “conditioned” by the minimum services set. The day of action has been driven forward by ELA together with LAB, ESK, Steilas, Etxalde, Hiru and the housing unions.
In its first assessment, the confederation stresses that the strike has “a high level of support from the working class,” something that “is clearly noticeable on the streets.” It also notes that traffic density “has dropped considerably” and that “many people have decided not to go to work and are prepared to attend the mobilizations.”
According to the data released by ELA, in Industry the impact of the strike is being “very high” and “many large companies are shut down or almost completely paralysed.” In Gipuzkoa, participation is “almost total” at SAPA, Fagor Automotion, Korta, Ampo, Papelera del Oria, Plasnor, BST Rods, Estanda, Obe Hettich, Jaso, Lazpiur, Niessen, GKN Legazpi, Talleres Telleria, Iraundi, Kelsen, KSB Itur, Inda Taldea, Elmubas, Mendiaraiz, Corrugados, Natra, Garay, Tesa, Arcelor Bergara, Indar, Hine, CAF Irun and Beasain, Lau lagun, Ubis, Mendiola, Ahlstrom, ITV zerbitzuak, Biele Azpeitia, ABC Eibar, JMA, Orona, Astigarraga kit line, Rodisa, Guibe, Lantier, Orbinox, Orkli, GH, Chinchurreta, Amets Berezao, Nemesio Zubia, Onnera Group, Polmetasa, Copreci, Oerlikon Blazers, Createch Medical, Shaeffer Iberica, Guerra Hnos e Indaux.
ELA also indicates that “they have closed, by decision of the workforces,” the cooperatives Irizar and Ulma, and that in construction “participation is also being very broad.” In Navarre, it describes a similar scenario in Condesa Zalain, Barranquesa, Lamapor, Aceros Moldeados, CHGuema, Mecalsa, Guerra Hnos Wisco Betelu, Savera, Torraspapel, Magotteaux and Portland, and highlights “the impact” in the Pamplona region in companies such as Volkswagen, Argal, Kybse, Icer Rail or Ingeteam.
In Bizkaia, unemployment is “very widespread in major companies” such as Lucart, Mondi, Winoa, Ingeteam, Comeco, Unilever, Sercoin, Nemak, Kautobe, Armearri, Egoin, Kide, Cikautxo, Eika, ZF Sachs, Cementos Lemona, Precero, Tepsa, Tenneco, Draxton, Cemosa, Cie Inyectametal, Talleres Ermua, Gestamp, Ecs Mobility, Naik Automotive, Laydez Gol, Talleres Arrarte, Azpiaran Berriz and Talleres de Precision. In Álava, the strike also shows “broad follow-through” at Tubacex, Inaux and Jez Sistemas, while in the Ribera “notable impact” is recorded at Guardian, Florette, Congelados de Navarra and Uvesa.
As for private services, the trade union organization believes that “a notable strike is foreseeable in many regions”. It details that the small retail trade “closes in many towns”, as does “numerous canteens for public schools, ikastolas and companies”, including Bizkotzalde-Basauri, Urbi-Beasain, Izarraizpe-Apeitia, Olibete-Errenteria or Jesuitas de San Sebastián.
According to data compiled by ELA, in Bizkaia the closure of establishments such as HyM, COS, Desigual, Diana Promoción, Reponedoras Carrefour, Agfa (IT services for hospitals), Sephora-Gran Vía, Scalpers, Woman Secret, Natura, Ayestaran Bilbao, Pull and Bear (Ballonti-Portugalete), Lidl (Amorebieta), Com Center (Galdakao), Orange (Santutxu), Jysk (Berango), Punto Roma (Bilbao, closed in the afternoon) and Oysho Gran Vía, among others, is expected. It adds that in the Deichman and Obramat (Sestao) workplaces the support has been “very high”, that the parking lot at Loiu airport “is also closed”, and that all the housekeeping employees for the rooms of the Hotel Abando “are on strike”.
In Gipuzkoa, the General Óptica stores (San Sebastián and Irun), Natura (San Sebastián) and Movistar (Gros, Azpeitia, Arrasate and Irun) remain closed. In Navarre, the union cites the closure of Sephora (La Morea) and BM (Alsasua). It also highlights the inclusion in the strike of “many public subcontractors”, including gardening (75% of the workforce in Bilbao and 50% in Taludes) and cleaning (Barakaldo, Santurtzi, Ballonti-Portugalete, schools in Sestao, Petronor cleaning, outpatient clinic in Güeñes, courts in Bizkaia, Irizar, CAF, Legazpi or Gorliz).
ELA adds that some sports centers “will remain closed” in Gipuzkoa (Orio, Tolosa and Beasain), Bizkaia (Murgia, Muskiz, Santurtzi, Barakaldo, Leioa or Derio) and Álava (Trinquete Salburua). It also anticipates a “broad response” at the Pasajes Port Authority and at moorings in Bizkaia, and it expects that in Navarre various offices will close, such as Cederna-Garalur, Asorna and DHL.
MINIMUM SERVICES AND TRANSPORT
Regarding public services, the union denounces that the minimum services imposed “totally condition the right to strike.” Even so, it argues that “the analysis of the data from the first hour indicates that the strike will be broadly followed.” During the first hours, “many lines” of public transport are operating with minimum services, including Euskotren, Metro Bilbao, Lurraldebus, Bizkaibus, Bilbobus, Donostibus or Hiribus Zarautz.
ELA expects the strike to be “almost total” in dozens of town halls and in Osakidetza. In the field of social welfare, it denounces that, “once again, through the minimum services, the right to strike has been denied to thousands of people,” so that in the night shifts “almost no” worker has been able to take part in the strike and that the Urgencies staff “has also suffered some minimum services of 100%.”
The central also expects “broad follow-through” in the intervention sector, “very broad” in public education, “almost total” in Haurreskolak and in the ikastolas. It calculates that in the subsidized centers “the strike will be noticeable” and that activity at EHU, Universidad Pública de Navarra and Mondragon Unibertsitatea will be “very reduced.”
In the field of the media, ELA explains that in the EITB group, follow-through “is being very broad and only news programs are being broadcast” with minimum services. Gara, Naiz, Naiz Irratia, Berria, Argia, Hitzak and “many local media outlets” have also joined in.
For its part, ESK emphasizes the “large follow-through” of the first hours of the strike in Euskadi and predicts “a historic day,” with “mass stoppages and mobilizations across all of Euskal Herria.” In a statement, the organization stresses that, “with barely nine hours having passed since the start of the general strike,” “there is a large follow-through at workplaces,” so it expects “mass stoppages and mobilizations for this day.”