Spanish Unions Plan General Strike for November 11
Listen to the story
Spain's two biggest trade unions, CCOO and UGT, are preparing for a general strike on November 11.
A general strike is a day when workers across many sectors stop working at the same time.
The unions have been meeting with social movements to plan the strike together.
Social movements are groups of people who organize to push for social or political change.
UGT has highlighted that more than 3,600 groups have already pledged support for the strike.
These include workplace committees, which represent workers inside individual companies.
They also include staff boards, which perform a similar role for certain categories of employees.
Union sections, smaller branches of the unions within workplaces, have also joined in.
The strike is being discussed in relation to Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's government.
According to the report, some people want to go beyond the kind of strike that Sánchez would prefer.
This suggests there may be differences over how large or strong the strike should be.
By meeting with social movements, the unions appear to be trying to build wider support for the action.
The report does not give further details about the specific demands behind the strike.
It also does not explain exactly what kind of strike Sánchez might prefer.
Still, the involvement of more than 3,600 workplace groups shows significant organization ahead of November 11.
The unions' efforts to coordinate with social movements suggest the strike could involve more than just union members.
Vocabulary10 words
- trade unions
- groups that represent and help workers
- general strike
- a day when many workers from different jobs stop work together
- social movements
- groups of people organizing for social or political change
- workplace committees
- groups that represent workers inside one company
- staff boards
- groups that represent certain workers in a workplace
- union sections
- small union groups inside a specific workplace
- pledged support
- promised to help or agree with something
- coordinate
- to work together in an organized way
- demands
- things people are asking for
- significant
- important enough to notice
Quiz
Answer key
1. A general strike 2. More than 3,600 workplace groups 3. Some people want a bigger strike than the one he might prefer
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Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Spain's two biggest _____, CCOO and UGT, are preparing for a general strike on November 11.
A general strike is a day when workers across many sectors stop working at the same _____.
The unions have been meeting with _____ to plan the strike together.
Social movements are groups of people who organize to push for social or political _____.
UGT has highlighted that more than _____ groups have already pledged support for the strike.
These include _____, which represent workers inside individual companies.
They also include staff boards, which perform a similar role for certain categories of _____.
Union sections, smaller branches of the unions within workplaces, have also _____ in.
The strike is being discussed in relation to Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's _____.
According to the report, some people want to go beyond the kind of strike that Sánchez would _____.

