Spanish unions call for protests over social care working conditions

Labor unions in Spain are organizing protests to demand improved working and salary conditions within the social care and home assistance sectors.

In Cantabria, the UGT union has scheduled a series of informative assemblies in Santander, Torrelavega, Reinosa, and Laredo. These meetings precede a planned demonstration in front of the Cantabria Parliament on September 21. The union is calling for a new regional collective agreement and modifications to the Law of Social Rights and Services to ensure the sector's future, noting that the industry employs over 10,000 workers, 85% of whom are women.

In Ciudad Real, the CCOO union has called for a protest on September 19 in Plaza Mayor. The mobilization aims to address the lack of progress in negotiating the socio-sanitary home care agreement, which has been expired since 2022. Union representatives highlighted the gender inequality within the sector, noting that the work is heavily feminized and that women in the region face significant wage gaps and precarious working conditions.