11N General strike: an atypical stoppage marked by the Urda accident, with demonstrations as a barometer

As of November 9, 2026, the bill on the protection of trade union freedom and the right to strike is no longer in process: it expired on October 6, 2026, with the dissolution of the Cortes. It is important to distinguish this proposal from the current regulation: the right to strike continues to be protected by Article 28.2 of the Constitution and mainly regulated by Royal Decree-Law 17/1977, interpreted and refined by the Constitutional Court.

What initiative had been presented

The identified initiative is the Bill for the protection of trade union freedom and the right to strike in the workplace, presented by the Plurinational Sumar Parliamentary Group on April 22, 2026. It was not a government bill nor an already approved law, but a parliamentary proposal to modify certain labor guarantees related to those rights. (Congress file)

Its initial progress was as follows:

• On April 28, 2026, the Congress Board agreed to admit it for processing and forwarded it to the Government for its opinion.
• On May 4, 2026, its text was published in the Official Bulletin of the General Courts.
• Information about its initial phase set the Government's response deadline until June 9, 2026, before the debate on consideration, that is, the vote to decide whether Congress would begin processing its content.

These first steps can be consulted in the publication of the bill. However, they do not describe its current status: the expiration on October 6 is later and ends that procedure. Therefore, it would not be correct now to state that it is still awaiting the Government's response, that it is in committee, or that it is pending approval in the Senate. (Dissolution of the Cortes)

What it intended to change

The proposal did not entirely replace the general strike regime. It sought to expressly incorporate into the Workers' Statute protection against persecution or employer retaliation for the legitimate exercise of trade union activity, union membership, or the right to strike. It also proposed classifying certain retaliations and the creation of lists with discriminatory purposes as very serious offenses. These measures belonged to the proposed text, not to a reform approved through this initiative. (Text of the proposal)

What regulation continues to apply

The expiration of the proposal does not eliminate or suspend the right to strike. Article 28.2 of the Constitution expressly recognizes "the right to strike of workers for the defense of their interests" and requires guaranteeing the maintenance of essential community services. (Spanish Constitution)

The Royal Decree-Law 17/1977 contains rules on calling strikes, prior notice, strike committees, and effects on employment contracts. It must be applied considering Judgment 11/1981, which declared unconstitutional various restrictions in its original text. Therefore, it is not a regulation currently awaiting completion of parliamentary processing.

In conclusion: the current regulation continues to apply; the 2026 parliamentary proposal directly related to its protection expired. To recover its changes, it would be necessary to promote a new initiative, not to continue that procedure as if it were still open.

The main competencies of Alberto Núñez Feijóo as national president of the PP are to represent the party, direct its political action, preside over its main national bodies, and propose appointments to its leadership. The regulation is concentrated in Article 44 of the Statutes approved at the XXI National Congress, held in July 2025. These attributions should be distinguished from decisions reserved for collegiate bodies: presiding over the party does not equate to having unilateral power to decide on all its matters.

1. Political and legal representation

The national president holds the political and legal representation of the People's Party. Therefore, he is the institutional representative of the organization before third parties. This function includes relations with institutions, other political formations, and social organizations, both in Spain and internationally.

It is important to separate this party competence from any public office: the powers attributed by the Statutes refer to the PP, not to State institutions.

2. Presidency of national bodies

He is responsible for presiding over the National Board of Directors and the National Executive Committee. His position thus combines party representation with the presidency of two central bodies of its internal governance.

In sessions of both, he has a casting vote in case of a tie. This allows him to resolve a tied vote but does not replace deliberation or the adoption of agreements by the competent body.

3. Compliance with agreements

He must take the necessary measures to comply with and develop the agreements of the National Congress and the decisions of the competent national bodies. This responsibility has an executive dimension: turning the party's collective decisions into actions and ensuring their implementation.

Therefore, his leadership is exercised within the framework set by the congress agreements and the statutory distribution of competencies, not outside them.

4. Proposal of appointments

One of his main organizational powers is to propose to the National Executive Committee the appointment of leaders within the party structure. Among the positions included are:

• The secretary general and the general coordinator.
• The deputy secretaries general, coordinators, and secretaries.
• The director general of Finance and Organization.
• Members of certain internal committees, including the Electoral Committee and the Committee of Rights and Guarantees.

The relevant distinction is that this is a power of proposal: it should not be described as a general unilateral appointment power, because the National Executive Committee is involved.

5. Political direction and official communication

The president directs and coordinates the general political action of the PP. This attribution places him at the head of the political orientation of the organization and the coordination of its actions, respecting the competencies of other statutory bodies.

He is also responsible for authorizing statements or declarations made on behalf of the party or that may politically commit it. This is a competence over the expression of the official position of the PP, which should not be confused with prior authorization of any personal opinion of its members.

6. Presidency of parliamentary groups

The Statutes also assign the national president the presidency of the PP parliamentary groups in the Congress, the Senate, and the European Parliament. The concrete exercise of this function is subject to the respective regulations of each parliamentary group.

In summary, Feijóo combines functions of representation, political direction, coordination, and execution, along with a relevant capacity to shape leadership through proposals. The reference to consult these attributions is the official text of the Statutes, especially Article 44.

In the last decade —from November 9, 2016 to November 9, 2026— the sources consulted allow identifying at least five nationwide calls: the feminist strikes of 2018 and 2019, the solidarity strikes with Palestine in 2024 and 2025, and the one scheduled for November 11, 2026. The latter is already called but has not yet taken place. This is not an exhaustive count of all territorial strikes: the number varies depending on geographic scope and the type of stoppage included.

Nationwide calls and their reasons

• March 8, 2018: feminist strike. Its main motivations were wage and labor inequality, discrimination against women, gender-based violence, and the unequal distribution of domestic and care work. The mobilization sought to make visible that inequality also affects unpaid work. It is important to distinguish full-day calls from partial stoppages promoted by other organizations on the same date.
• March 8, 2019: new feminist strike. It again demanded effective equality, labor rights, shared responsibility in care, and eradication of gender violence. Although it shared much of the 2018 objectives, it was a different call and should be counted separately. Both are recorded in the historical review by The Conversation.
• September 27, 2024: solidarity with Palestine. Mainly promoted by CGT and Solidaridad Obrera, it demanded a ceasefire in Gaza, an end to military and commercial cooperation with Israel, and an arms embargo. It was a nationwide call, although it did not follow the joint strike model of CCOO and UGT against a government economic reform. The RTVE report can be consulted.
• October 15, 2025: protest for Gaza and Palestine. CGT, Solidaridad Obrera, ASC, and the Intersindical Confederation called a 24-hour strike. Their demands included breaking diplomatic, commercial, and military relations with Israel and prioritizing social spending over military. CCOO and UGT called two-hour stoppages per shift: these were different modalities within the same day, not two independent general strikes. This was explained by Demócrata about the stoppages.
• November 11, 2026: housing and wages. It is scheduled after the date of this response. It brings together CCOO, UGT, and other trade union and tenant organizations. It demands affordable housing, wage and labor improvements, public services, and a fairer wealth distribution. UGT adds the blocking of wage negotiations and calls for a 7% increase in the minimum wage in 2027. The call was presented on October 19, according to Demócrata, and its reasons appear in the UGT statement.

How to interpret the number

By this nationwide criterion, there are four days held and one future already called. If only 24-hour nationwide strikes jointly supported by CCOO and UGT against economic or labor policies are counted, none had taken place within the period: the November 11 strike would be the first since 2012, according to Demócrata.

The territorial count is broader. Sources also mention a Basque-Navarre call on March 30, 2023, for wages, working hours, and public services, but do not provide a complete territorial list. Therefore, it would not be rigorous to present five as the definitive total of all general strikes called in any Spanish territory.