The spokesperson for the Vox party in the Parliament of the Canary Islands, Nicasio Galván, belittled trade unionists during a debate. Regional president Fernando Clavijo reacted with amusement, according to the newspaper elDiario.es. The exchange took place on 11 November 2026, the day of a general strike in Spain.
It began with a parliamentary debate about a separate labour dispute: the strike by doctors in the Canary Islands’ health service. According to the EFE news agency, Galván urged Clavijo to sit down with representatives of the striking doctors. The Vox spokesperson reportedly said there had been no progress since the last meeting on 14 October.
According to elDiario.es, Clavijo initially assured Galván that he had his personal respect and said he was going to make a joke. In effect, he said: “Dear comrade Galván, I’ll see you on the picket lines during the general strike.” Galván rejected the suggestion that he would stand up for trade unionists on the streets. He disparagingly called them “prawn-eaters” and referred to subsidies from the regional government’s budget.
The phrase, translated literally, was not an objective description but a put-down. EFE also reported Galván’s response to Clavijo’s remark. According to elDiario.es, the parliamentary speaker did not reprimand him for the comment.
The general strike had been called nationwide and also affected the Canary Islands. Its demands included affordable housing and fair wages. The Canary Islands regional government had set minimum services in advance for various public functions. A corresponding decree names several trade unions that had given notice of the strike.
The doctors’ strike in the Canary Islands’ health service is a separate matter. According to Europa Press, Clavijo told parliament he would negotiate with the doctors’ unions. At the same time, he made clear that the quality of Healthcare was a limit on any possible agreements for him. His government had already offered additional funding for better pay.
Galván’s remark thus brought two different labour disputes into a parliamentary exchange. While calling for negotiations in the doctors’ dispute, he explicitly distanced himself from the trade unionists taking part in the general strike.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).