Bus Drivers to Strike This Thursday Demanding Early Retirement

Bus drivers across urban, interurban, and state services will continue their general strike this Thursday and Friday, November 28 and 29, throughout Spain, demanding early retirement in the sector. Minimum services have been set at 50% nationwide.

According to the Ministry of Transport and Urban Mobility's resolution on minimum services, 50% of currently authorized trips must be carried out. If a route consists of a single trip, it will be completed in full.

The main companies providing long-distance bus services will contact ticket holders whose services have been suspended, offering them a free change.

This marks the second day of a total of seven planned strike days, following the one on October 28. The strike scheduled for November 11 was canceled due to the effects of the DANA storm.

This time, the strike is supported by CCOO, which represents over 40% of the sector, as well as by CGT, after UGT and SLT withdrew from the call following an agreement with employers' associations Confebús, Anetra, and Atuc to request early retirement from the authorities once a royal decree comes into force.

CCOO argues that this commitment is insufficient, as the date is tied to the approval of the royal decree, expected in February, but it could be later. The union also argues that in other transport sectors, such as trucking, the commitment was to request it within 20 days.

Autonomous communities and municipalities have also set minimum services in their respective regions. For instance, in Catalonia, they will be 40% during peak hours and 20% otherwise, while in Madrid, interurban services will have 80% during peak hours and 45% during off-peak.

Similarly, in Cantabria, they will be 30%, in Navarra 40%, and in Gran Canaria 50%. As for cities, in Palma, they will be 50%, in Pamplona 60% during peak hours and 40% off-peak, and in Mérida 50%.

After this Thursday and Friday, the strike will resume on December 5 and 9, and from December 23 indefinitely if no agreement is reached between unions and employers.