The general strike in Spain affected parts of industry in Galicia on Wednesday. At the Alcoacomplex in San Cibrao all employees not assigned to minimum staffing levels took part, according to the works council. At the Stellantisplant in Vigo participation on the night shift was significantly lower, according to union estimates. The figures are snapshots from individual workplaces and do not allow an overall assessment for the region.
Several unions called the nationwide walkout on 11 November. One reason is the difficulty of accessing affordable housing. Workers in various sectors in Galicia were also called on to strike. For the electricity supply, the Spanish ministry responsible set minimum service levels to ensure supply and the safety of people and facilities.
In San Cibrao, Alcoa’s aluminium and alumina plants operated with minimum staffing levels. José Antonio Zan, the works council chair, told the newspaper El Progreso that among the other employees, strike participation had been 100 per cent. The figure therefore does not refer to all employees at the complex. The walkout there had already begun on Tuesday evening with the night shift.
According to Zan, there was no regular production during the strike. However, the aluminium plant’s electrolysis units had to remain in operation. The extracted metal would be made into large plates and melted down again later, he said. The participation rate therefore does not indicate a complete technical shutdown.
According to Zan, minimum staffing levels had been set after talks with the company failed to reach an agreement under the Galician procedure for the out-of-court settlement of labour disputes. The basis, he said, was rules from a strike in 2020. The requirements were being observed, the works council chair said.
For Stellantis in Vigo, Europa Press reported, citing union sources, participation of around 20 per cent on the night shift. It was higher in the morning; no figure was initially available. According to the company, after midday one production line was operating with restrictions, while another was at a standstill because of supply problems reported earlier. This shutdown should therefore not automatically be attributed to the strike.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).