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Over 80,000 bus drivers across Spain are set to go on strike starting Monday October 28, demanding an early retirement scheme due to the ‘hazardous conditions’ they face in the industry.

 

The strike action is led by the major unions CCOO and UGT, and it will impact intercity and city buses, school transport and other passenger services.

 

Although the strike was initially expected to include 300,000 other transport workers, lorry drivers have been excluded following recent agreements in the freight and health transport sectors.

 

The main issue behind the strike is the demand for age reduction coefficients that would allow for earlier retirement, acknowledging the health risks associated with the job. This demand has been a long-standing issue for the unions, dating back to 2004.

 

While this is the first time a general strike has been called on the matter, unions have previously organised other mobilisations with similar demands.

 

The first day of the strike will include a rally in front of the Government Delegation in Madrid, marking the beginning of seven planned strike days.

 

These are scheduled to continue on November 11, 28 and 29 and on December 5 and 9, with the potential for an indefinite strike starting on December 23 if no agreement is reached.

 

Pedro Aller, from UGT, said the unions had scaled back their demands to what they considered the “minimum necessary”. Although freight transport employers agreed to their terms, passenger transport employers have not, citing cost concerns.

 

Unions argue that passenger employers are stalling and have pulled out of negotiations despite a potential agreement being within reach.

 

Passenger transport employers’ associations, including Confebus and Atuc, claim that the strike was announced without sufficient dialogue. They have called on the unions to cancel the strike and to engage in talks, particularly on the subject of early retirement.

 

These associations represent a sector with over 95,000 workers and 3,150 million annual passengers. Final decisions on the minimum services to be maintained during the strike will be handled by relevant authorities, including the Ministry of Transport, regional governments and local councils.