Basque President criticizes upcoming general strike

Basque President Imanol Pradales has criticized the decision by labor unions to call for a general strike on November 11. Pradales described the timing as “disconcerting,” noting that the strike is scheduled just two days before the official start of the electoral campaign for the November 29 general elections.

Pradales highlighted inconsistencies among the participating unions—CCOO, UGT, ELA, and LAB—noting that their stated motivations differ significantly. He observed that while CCOO and UGT focus on different issues, ELA and LAB are targeting different levels of government. He also questioned the sudden prioritization of housing as a strike demand, noting it was not a primary focus in recent meetings.

In a separate development, leaders from the ELA and LAB unions met with Pradales and Economy Minister Mikel Torres to demand greater government leadership in negotiating a regional minimum wage (SMI) for the Basque Country. The unions urged the government to move away from its current stance of equidistance and to directly engage with the employers' association, Confebask, to secure sectorial agreements.