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Date Published: 04/03/2025

Spanish train workers announce rail strike this March and April

The unions have announced seven days of strikes for March and April, warning of nationwide disruption

Rail workers across Spain are set to stage a series of strikes in March and April in opposition to changes in the management of regional rail services. The strike action, called by the works councils of Renfe and Adif, will take place over seven days and include both full-day and partial walkouts.

The industrial action will begin on Monday March 17, 2025, with a 24-hour strike, followed by two further full-day stoppages on Tuesday March 26 and Tuesday April 1. In addition, partial strikes are planned on Wednesday March 19, Sunday March 24, Friday March 28 and Thursday April 3. On these dates, workers will stop work during three separate time slots:

March 19 & March 28: 6.00am – 9.00am, 1.30pm – 4.30pm, 8.30pm – 11.30pm
March 24 & April 3: 6.30am – 9.30am, 2.30pm – 5.30pm, 8.30pm – 10.30pm

Unions warn that the strikes could cause disruptions to rail travel across Spain, including long-distance and high-speed AVE routes used by passengers in Murcia and Andalucía.

The unions say the strikes are in response to what they see as a failure to honour agreements made with the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility back in November. At the time, it was agreed that Renfe and Adif would remain the operators of regional and freight rail services, ensuring the integrity of the workforce. Negotiating groups were also set up to find solutions, but union representatives now argue that recent developments have gone against those commitments.

Another major concern is what unions describe as a “covert privatisation” of Renfe Mercancías, following the entry of logistics giant MSC into the capital of a new company managing freight services. Workers fear this could lead to job losses and a decline in service quality.

Beyond job security, union representatives also warn about the potential consequences for passengers, citing possible inefficiencies, increased costs and a decline in safety standards. They argue that splitting responsibilities between different operators could lead to duplication of structures, making the system more expensive and less effective.

With no agreement yet in sight, rail users in Murcia and Andalucía should prepare for possible disruptions, particularly on interregional and long-distance services, as the strike dates approach. The unions insist their fight is not only about protecting railway jobs but also about safeguarding the future of Spain’s rail network.

Image: B. Santiago Andrade/Pexels

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