Foment questions the housing general strike and will assess its legal validity

Foment del Treball has rejected the general strike announced by trade union and social organisations to demand changes in housing policy. The Catalan employers’ association has described it as “incomprehensible” and “ill-timed” and argues that the measure shifts the cost of a protest onto businesses and workers, even though, in its view, the protest should be directed at public authorities.

Foment calls on public authorities and the legislature

The business organisation considers that the demands are a matter for the Government, public authorities and parliamentary groups, as they are the ones able to promote the measures being sought. From that perspective, it argues that businesses are not the target of the demands and that the strike could disrupt economic activity without, in its assessment, a labour dispute being at the heart of the call.

Foment has also questioned the timing. The employers’ association points to international uncertainty and pressure on business competitiveness, and says that further disruptions do not promote stability and confidence among businesses and citizens. These are the organisation’s arguments for justifying its opposition to the call, not an independent assessment of its possible effects.

Legal assessment pending formal strike notice

Foment has announced that it will examine the strike’s legal validity once it has received the formal notice. Its opposition and statements therefore do not constitute a conclusion on the legality of the action: the employers’ association itself has said that it considers it premature to comment without that documentation.

Pimec calls for a shared response

Pimec’s secretary general, Josep Ginesta, has said that the strike will not solve the housing problem and has called on public authorities and economic stakeholders to work together. Ginesta has expressed respect for the “legitimate right to strike” while also warning that a lack of legal certainty makes it difficult to provide housing. He has also called for the electoral calendar not to hinder the ability of public authorities to take action.

The positions of Foment and Pimec reflect business assessments of the strike call and housing policies. They do not, in themselves, determine the strike’s legal scope or replace an analysis of the formal notice.