Trade unions in Portugal and Spain are discussing whether to coordinate a cross-border general strike on 11 November, potentially turning an already planned Spanish stoppage into an Iberian-wide mobilisation over housing costs and living standards.
Unai Sordo, secretary-general of Spain’s CCOO trade union confederation, said Portuguese unions were considering joining the action. No final decision has been announced in Portugal, meaning the proposed Iberian general strike remains under discussion rather than confirmed.
Spanish strike already scheduled for 11 November
Spain’s planned general strike is supported by the country’s two main trade union confederations, CCOO and UGT. The action has been set for 11 November, shortly before snap elections called by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
The Spanish unions have linked the mobilisation to concerns about housing affordability and the broader cost-of-living pressures facing workers. In major cities, unions and campaigners argue that employment is increasingly failing to guarantee access to a reasonably priced home.
Portugal’s participation is not yet confirmed
Speaking in an interview with Spanish broadcaster RTVE’s Los Desayunos, Sordo said contacts were taking place with Portuguese trade unions. He said the objective was to establish whether the Spanish action could be expanded into a coordinated mobilisation across the Iberian Peninsula.
However, the decision rests with Portuguese union organisations. Until they formally approve participation, there is no confirmed general strike covering both countries.
Sordo referred humorously to the possible action as the “Saramago strike”, invoking Portuguese writer José Saramago, who spent many years living in Lanzarote and maintained links with progressive political movements.
What is currently known?
- Spain: A general strike is scheduled for 11 November.
- Portugal: Trade unions are considering whether to join a coordinated action.
- Final status: An Iberian-wide strike has not yet been formally called.
- Main issues: Housing affordability, wages and the rising cost of living.
Housing costs drive mobilisation
The discussions come amid protests in both countries over the difficulty of finding affordable housing in large urban areas. Demonstrations began in Madrid, including gatherings around Puerta del Sol, and similar actions were later seen in Portuguese cities including Lisbon and Porto.
Participants have called for decent housing at prices that workers can afford. The issue has become particularly visible in capital cities and other major urban centres, where rents and property prices have placed increasing pressure on household budgets.
Although the protests and proposed strike are national initiatives, the shared concerns highlight wider European debates over housing supply, rental costs, wages and the cost of living. Housing policy remains primarily a responsibility of national and local authorities, but affordability pressures are affecting workers across borders.
Why a coordinated strike would matter
A simultaneous action in Portugal and Spain would be unusual because it would bring together organised labour in two neighbouring countries around a common social and economic demand. The Iberian Peninsula has close economic links, with workers, businesses and supply chains operating across the border.
A coordinated strike could affect transport, public services and workplaces in both countries, although the scale of any disruption would depend on the decisions made by individual unions and the sectors taking part. At this stage, details about possible industrial action in Portugal have not been announced.
The proposed mobilisation also comes at a politically sensitive moment in Spain, where the scheduled strike falls 18 days before snap elections. The timing may increase attention on housing policy, but the industrial action remains a trade union decision rather than an EU measure.
What happens next?
Portuguese trade unions must now determine whether to call their own general strike for 11 November and whether it should be coordinated with the Spanish action. Further announcements are expected from the organisations involved.
Until then, the confirmed position is that Spain has a general strike planned, while a wider Iberian strike is only a possibility. Any eventual disruption will depend on formal union decisions, participation levels and the sectors affected.
Conclusion
The proposed Iberian general strike reflects growing pressure over housing affordability and living costs in Portugal and Spain. Spain’s 11 November stoppage is already scheduled, but Portuguese participation has not been confirmed. The next key development will be whether Portuguese unions formally agree to join the cross-border action.