Thousands of people march for decent housing and wages in Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia, and the Tenants' Union claims the "resounding success" of the general strike on 11N

"Madrid will be the tomb of rentism". With that cry, the demonstration of the 11N general strike in the capital began. Thousands of people have occupied the Paseo del Prado under the rain since before the head of the march started in Neptuno. The protest has already moved from Cibeles to Gran Vía with banners for housing, wages, public services, and pensions, on a route that culminates in Plaza de España. At that time, the marches in Barcelona and Valencia were also already touring the center of both cities.

Valeria Racu, spokesperson for the Madrid Tenants' Union, recalled before the march Maricarmen Abascal, evicted seven weeks ago, at 87 years old, from the house where she had lived for seven decades as a tenant. Her eviction led to the Sol encampment and brought together housing unions and labor unions around the 11N call. "Today we stop, but tomorrow we continue with this struggle," said Racu, who called the strike a "resounding success".

Racu demanded lower rents, establish indefinite contracts, and recover homes in the hands of funds and banks. "We have to shield our union rights in housing," she defended before the media. The spokesperson accused "all governments", of any political sign, of having protected rentism and criticized those who try to take advantage of the protest for their electoral campaign.

In the morning, spokesperson Alicia del Río had placed 11N as the beginning of a "new cycle of struggles" and had defended a constitutional reform that prioritizes the social function of housing. The program of the Confederation of Tenants' Unions also proposes recognizing collective bargaining and rent strikes.

Barcelona and Valencia mobilize against speculation

In Barcelona, the march, with more than 55,000 people according to the Urban Guard, started from the Jardinets de Gràcia and filled the promenade between Diputació and Diagonal, with posters for decent housing and an affordable life. Another demonstration marched along Passeig de Sant Joan. The Sindicat de Llogateres and the collectives that promoted the unitary march demand linking the reference index for rents to wages and prohibiting evictions of vulnerable people who lack housing alternatives. Girona and Lleida also mobilized, where the marches started at the same time as in Barcelona. 

From there, Carme Arcarazo, spokesperson for the Sindicat de Llogateres, has denounced that the cost of housing is impoverishing the working class. She has called for "prohibiting speculation", raising wages and pensions, and financing a public housing stock with a wealth tax. The Confederation specifies this proposal in its program with the aim of reaching one million public rental homes.

In València, thousands of people left Xàtiva street, next to the bullring, after six o'clock and advanced along Colón, with many shops closed. The march is headed for the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, where at noon unions and housing collectives had already converged, shouting "Gent sense casa i casa sense gent", people without homes and homes without people.

CCOO has placed the strike's follow-up in the Valencian Community at around 60% in its midday balance, and UGT has highlighted that it has exceeded 70% in industrial companies with union representation.

Protests spread from Bilbao to Palma and bad weather forces marches to be suspended

Bilbao has hosted separate marches by CCOO and UGT, and by ELA and LAB. ELA has estimated 70,000 attendees at its mobilization in the Biscayan capital and has highlighted the protests in Donostia, Vitoria, and Pamplona. In Vigo, thousands of people have marched in the rain in the call by CCOO and UGT, with housing at the center of the slogans, and the CIG has held its own demonstration. There have also been marches in A Coruña and a protest by teachers and students in Palma, where access to housing has been added to the demands for education.

Storm Charles has forced CCOO and UGT to suspend demonstrations in Seville and Huelva. In Córdoba, the unions have postponed the march to Sunday, November 15, as has the Tenants' Union in Cádiz. In Seville, about fifty people started the route despite the orange alert, with banners against tourist apartments. The calls in Almería, Granada, Jaén, and Málaga have been maintained.

Unions celebrate the strike and announce actions over police charges

The Confederation of Tenants' Unions has estimated the strike's participation at four million workers in its first morning assessment. CCOO and UGT highlighted participation in industry and ports in the first 24-hour general strike they have called together since 2012. By mid-afternoon, CEOE and Cepyme placed the average participation below 5% based on data from their associated organizations and companies. According to employers' associations, at 5:00 PM, electricity demand was 4.7% below Red Eléctrica's forecast and 2.5% below that recorded on Tuesday at that time.

CCOO and UGT have announced legal actions over police charges against pickets. The unions have denounced the use of pepper spray in Mercamadrid and police action in the Granada Metro depots. The 11N balance has risen to at least 52 arrests and nearly 1,500 police incidents, according to the latest figures we have been able to ascertain on 'ElConstitucional.es', still pending if new charges and arrests occur after the peaceful demonstrations tonight.

This Thursday, one day after the strike, the Permanent Deputation of Congress will vote on two housing decrees. One foresees extending certain rental contracts for up to two years and maintaining, until the end of 2030, under certain conditions, protection against evictions for vulnerable people without housing alternatives. The other contemplates compensation for tenants in certain cases where the owner terminates the contract.