I wish I was a little bit more informed about this but...my boyfriend was noticing in our travels through madrid, ronda, and now in Sevilla, graffitti saying "Huelga! 20 de Junio" From watching the news,(understanding very little) and talking to a market vendor today, there will be a general strike in andalucia and possibly madrid starting Thurs. June 20th. I will pick up a newspaper tomorrow and see if I can figure out what´s going on.

There was a bus strike when I was in Barcelona and it was no joke, none of the city buses were running. Really wasn´t that big of a deal because the metro is so handy, but I have no idea what a general strike means. Will I have to rent a car to get to the airport

I´m sure there´s someone out there that is better informed, but I will grab a paper tomorrow and try to get some info too.

The Huelga General (General Strike) is a national effort. Workers will be striking all across the country. The biggest complaint is the government´s efforts to change some of the labor laws, particularly as they relate to unemployment.

Actually, it will be interesting to see what will happen. The last general strike took place in the 80s and apparently alot was paralyzed. However, I don´t think the workers as as "activist" as they were in the 80s. In a few of the companies that I am in and out of, there is just a real sense of vagueness about the strike.

The impression that I have is that workers will be more activist oriented towards Andalucia. In some of the big companies here in Madrid alot of people are pooh poohing the idea of the strike.

If you are flying out of Spain on the 20th, you should be very afraid. I think transport workers will be the first to follow the strike. European leaders were to travel to a meeting in Spain on the 20th and they put off their travel until the 21st due to the strike.

The strike will be only the 20th. It will affect transports but there will be a minimun service, so it will be possible to catch the metro, although we don't know still how often, it'll be anounced during this week. I don't know about taxis, but I think it will be worst. Anyway, essential services will go on.
I don't think it will affect airlines, maybe it could affect airports with more delays, I don't know...You wil be able to catch your plane, although you'll have to be more careful about times.
I don't know how it could affect shops, restaurants or museums...

Some additional info that can someone please verify:
To show support for the strike, Iberia Pilots will be going on strike the 21 of June.
Air Traffic Controllers EURO WIDE will be striking 18 of June. (This one I am pretty sure on and there will be no flights at all in Europe).
Also, does anyone know Iberia Pilots usual strike plans for the summer (i.e. last year I think they struck every Tuesday during the summer).
ANyone notice how dirty the Metros are? The Garbage collectors are on strike. Hode*!
Regards

Not too many years ago ('98, I believe), I flew into and out of Madrid the morning an Air Traffic Controller strike began. I arrived on Spanair from Washington, D.C. (Dulles) and then connected to Santiago (Spanair included the Madrid-Santiago roundtrip at no additional cost). Mine must have been one of the few flights that departed Barajas that morning: I got to Hostal Hogar San Francisco (Santiago) and turned on TVE, the strike was the main news story. They were showing footage from Madrid and Barcelona airports, including the departure area where I had boarded my flight a few hours earlier: by then it was a real mob scene!

Does anyone have more information on the air controllers' strike on June 18? I'm arriving in Madrid that mornign on a flight that leaves Atlanta the night of the 17th and am wondering if service will be disrupted.

I have heard in the news that Renfe workers (railways) have decided not to follow the strike. Thus, there would be normal services of trains all over Spain. I will confirm this whenever I see it again.

Personally I don't think there are reasons enough to mount a national strike (though there are reasons, because some of the workers rights are being cutted off). I would work if I had a job...

Fernando

I doubt very much about the Iberia pilots strike. I have heard (although didn't read directly) than the SEPLA (the pilots trade union) doesn't support the strike of 20th, and after the last year strike, they were forced to accord no more strikes for four years or something like that.
I haven't heard also anything about airport controllers.
The general strike will be followed by 36% of Spanish workers, although 54% believe there are reasons to do it (CIS).
The metro cleaners strike has finished today, fortunely.

You raise a great point. While in Spain two weeks ago, I went all over. Like you when we were in Barcelona, I noticed that the buses weren't running either. A taxi driver was telling us that the taxes aren't in the same union as the bus drivers and if they were, the taxis would have went on strike as well. I hope everything works out in the end.