Barcelona City Council has asked residents not to put out rubbish for 24 hours during Wednesday’s general strike, while setting full staffing for the intervention units of its fire service and municipal police. The request runs from 10pm on Tuesday 10th November to 10pm on Wednesday 11th November.

Commuters will also face reduced Metro and bus services. A quarter of the normal service is to be provided during the specified morning and evening peak periods, according to Europa Press, which reported the council’s announcement.

The council’s minimum-service decree is intended to maintain critical services and respond to urgent situations. Europa Press reports that it follows a Generalitat, or Catalan Government, order covering areas including education and social services.

Emergency response, rubbish and transport

The 100% staffing requirement applies to intervention personnel from Bombers de Barcelona, the city fire service, and the Guàrdia Urbana, the municipal police. It does not refer to every employee in those services.

Street cleaning and public-space maintenance will be limited to emergencies and road-safety needs, the council said through its statement. The municipal tow-truck service will have one third of its usual staffing for urgent incidents and vehicle removals.

For Metro and buses, the 25% minimum applies during these periods:

  • 6.30am to 9.30am on Wednesday 11th November.
  • 4.30pm to 9pm on Wednesday 11th November.

The same peak-hour minimum applies to Rodalies commuter trains, Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya trains, trams and urban and interurban buses, according to ARA’s report on the Catalan Government’s order. The Barcelona airport bus is to run at 50% of its usual service.

Transport for people with disabilities will maintain its usual activity, while school transport to nursery and primary schools will continue where there is no public transport alternative, 20minutos reported, citing the order.

Social care, health and schools

Social dining services will operate at their usual weekend level. The home help service will cover urgent care that cannot be postponed, while care homes, day centres and remote care services will have the staff needed for emergencies, according to the council’s statement as reported by Europa Press.

ARA reported that healthcare emergency services and specialist units, including intensive care, dialysis and childbirth services, will operate normally. Other primary care services will have 25% of staff, and on-call pharmacies will remain available.

Schools will have one member of their management team present. The minimum teaching and supervision levels reported by Europa Press are:

  • One teacher for every six classrooms in nursery and primary education.
  • 50% of staff in special education.
  • 33% of staff in municipal nurseries, school canteens and extracurricular activities.

The council’s decree also guarantees access to administrative offices and registers for procedures subject to deadlines, Europa Press reported.

Sources: Ajuntament de Barcelona, Ara.