Thousands of people throughout Spain, International Workers Day. Distributed by the demonstrations that have taken place in 80 cities, workers and trade unionists have made a furious defense of labor rights, which feel threatened by the rise of the extreme right in Europe, and even more after the return of Donald Trump to the presidency of the United States. “You have to put foot on the wall,” said Pepe Álvarez, UGT leader, alluding to the “reactionary movements” that are reproducing worldwide. “We are facing the most critical moment for workers since World War II,” said Unai Sordo, general secretary of CC OO. , which will be approved in the next Council of Ministers, and must then submit to parliamentary scrutiny, has been another of the main claims in the main march that has been held in Madrid, something decaffeinated.
After 12 noon, a few minutes later than the time set by the convening unions, UGT and CC OO, the demonstration for May 1 began in the capital. The protest started in the worst way, with the terribly annoying plants with the Madrid City Council, and particularly with its mayor, José Luis Almeida (PP). According to the union complaint, he rejected the request to install a small stage at the confluence of the Gran Vía with the Calle del Clavel – a usual start of the mobilization in recent years – to take the word the union leaders and the assistant politicians. Among the latter, were the Second Vice President and Minister of Labor, Yolanda Díaz, or the Social Security Manager, Elma Saiz, among others. The denial of the permit was referred on Monday night, although the application was made since a month and a half. The disruption has given rise to surrealist images and to some extent dangerous. Such as that of A Pepe Álvarez and Unai Sordo standing at a few centimeters from cars and buss on one side, and a multitude of video cameras, microphones and recorders of the other.
“We are up to the very noses of this mayor, who with these decisions will get us to have a health or safety problem,” Paloma López, secretary of Organization of CC OO Madrid protested. “His only objective is that in this May 1, workers are not seen on the street,” he added. “We are here to say clearly that we are not going to step back in the conquered rights,” López riveted. “The permits were made and the authorizations have not arrived by the Madrid City Council. On our part, we can only apologize, but we are not responsible for this,” Susana Huertas, head of UGT in Madrid, joined, joined in Madrid,
After leaving the road, Unai Sordo claimed the spirit of this year’s demonstration, before putting in the front row after the banner with the motto Protect the conquered, win in rights. “Although it seems lies, the rights of workers are at risk. The way society is more fair, and that the conditions of the working class are better is deepening the acquired rights,” Deaf defended. “We are at risk of living the most important reactionary involution since World War II. We urge the Government of Spain and European governments to stand before the aggression of the United States of Donald Trump, and to put into practice a policy that counteracts the commercial and tariff aggression,” added the leader of CC OO.
“At the moment progress is being questioned in rights that we thought were irreversible,” Álvarez said. “You have to put foot on the wall because what we are playing is also freedom,” he added. “The International Hate wants to end our welfare state,” said UGT president. Both deaf and Álvarez have requested that, after the approval of the proposal of law to reduce by law the weekly workday (without salary decrease) up to a maximum of 37 and a half hours in the next Council of Ministers, the political parties do not put obstacles.
“This is going to be the last first of May in which we have a maximum working day of 40 hours a week,” said Yolanda Díaz. “I ask the political formations to live up to the circumstances,” said the Minister of Labor, which has been directed directly to the Popular Party: “We want to know the usefulness of the 137 deputies, who have in their hand improve the lives of people.” “No one has to die in their job,” he lamented after reminding the five deceased miners a month ago in the Villablino region, in Asturias.
“Indefinite employment changes the life of workers. We are a country of entrepreneurs and good employment and affiliation data are those that grow to our country. And the government will continue working to achieve consensus and carry out packages that continue to protect workers,” Elma Sáiz, Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration has joined. “To all the facades and ultras of this country: the rights of workers in Spain will continue advancing,” said Oscar López, minister for digital transformation and public function, and general secretary of the PSOE of Madrid. “Not only are we not going to go back, but we will continue advancing from the hand of the unions and with the Government of Pedro Sánchez, which has risen the minimum wage, has created the minimum vital income and has approved a labor reform that has allowed us to have more stable employment,” he added.
Thousands of people have also marched this Thursday in Barcelona, where the central axes of the mobilization have been the defense of peace, pensions, the improvement of salary conditions, and the fight against the rise of the extreme right. In addition, protesters have exhibited banners against – presented by the company recently and that would affect 24% of the workforce – and favor the decrease in rental prices, one of the main problems that currently affect citizens.
The general secretary of CC OO in Catalonia, Belén Lopez has demanded that companies seek other ways to deal with the increase in costs and that the dismissal is the last resort: “Losing work is to lose stability, workers are not numbers,” he said. The Secretary General of UGT in Catalunya, Camil Ros, has celebrated the wide mobilization, and has referred to another hot current point, the operation of the BBVA to take over the Sabadell bank, which has criticized: “We must defend the jobs.” Also, in reference to the world geopolitical context, he highlighted the importance of building and defending a socially socially and strong “” democratic and strong “, against models” such as Chinese and the American. ” The protest, in which some 2,200 people have participated according to union sources, has concluded in the Plaza de Antoni Maura, where there has been a minute of silence by the victims of labor accidents.
Strike against Mazón
In Valencia, more than 3,000 people according to calculations from the Government Delegation, have demonstrated before the progress of the ultra -right. To the proposal of other unions, such as CGT, CNT, COS (Trade Union Workers Coordinator), or the Valencian Intersindical to convene a general strike on May 29 in the Valencian Community, as a protest for the negligent management of the DANA of Carlos Mazón, the leaders of the two great unions have ensured will assess the call and decide if they join.
In the speeches, the general secretary of CC OO-PV, Ana Garcia Alcolea, has defended the social shield deployed to protect workers for several consecutive crises, and has underlined the need to fulfill the agreement to reduce the day and reform the dismissal in Spain. He has also warned that “the right and the extreme right have systematically voted against all workers.” “We know that at the coup of BOE or the official newspaper of the Generalitat Valenciana (Dogv), all those rights could disappear,” he had abundant.
Tino Calero, newly elected general secretary of the UGT-PV, has insisted that the unions “will not take a step back” despite the political context so worrying, “with an extreme right that advances and is conditioning in Spain and in the Valencian country the policies of the PP.” “The State model is not being questioned only, but democracy itself,” said Calero, which has called to defend a European social protection model that has contributed well -being and security to citizens. “All that is in question today by the antipolytic apostles,” said UGT-PV leader.
The march in the Valencian capital has joined the PSPV-PSOE politicians as the Government delegate in the Valencian Community, Pilar Bernabé, or the former president of the Generalitat Ximo Puig, as well as the deputies of Compromís Águeda Micó or Isaura Navarro, or the former Misical Vice President Oltra. Participants have chanted slogans in defense of the reduction of working hours, against war, in defense of Palestine, and condemn by high rentals.
Montero, in Seville
The march in Seville has been marked by the presence of national political leaders – the first vice president of the Government and general secretary of the PSOE of Andalusia, María Jesús Montero, and the general coordinator of IU, Antonio Maíllo – and for the hangover of the great blackout. This has served the union responsible to claim the importance of having strong public services.
As in the rest of Spain, both the general secretary of UGT-A, Oskar Martín, and CC OO-A, Nuria López, have defended the latest achievements in labor matters, as the increase in the minimum wage, and have urged the approval of the reduction of the workday. Both measures were questioned a day before by the Andalusian Employment Minister, Rocío Blanco, who assured that they had supposed an increase in business costs, with respect to the SMI; and that it was an initiative that was adopted in cases where productivity rose, something that did not happen in this country. These statements have been categorically denied by both union leaders. “The data does not support their statements, in Jaén there is a technological one that has reduced the working day years ago and has increased its production,” Martín told El País.
Although in interannual terms unemployment has dropped in Andalusia (60,900 unemployed less compared to the first quarter of last year), the youth employment rate remains of the highest in Spain (34.4%, according to the EPA of the first quarter of 2025, the second worst, behind Extremadura). That is why Sofia, a 23 -year -old nurse, and Maria, a 24 -year -old actress, were surprised at the low presence of people of her age in the demonstration. “We are Galician, although we live here; and there is a lot of awareness by the people of our age and we notice a lot of difference,” says Maria to manifest is “a way to communicate tangible that we deserve rights, quality at work and rest.”
The situation of Andalusian public health – which congregated more than 20,000 people – and that of education have been other claims of the march of Seville, which has gathered about 1,500 people according to police calculations.
