Only four of 37 Barcelona libraries scheduled to open did so on Tuesday, according to Ferran Burguillos, manager of the Barcelona Library Consortium, as an indefinite staff strike that began on 26 May continued. For residents who use their local library in person, the closures meant most scheduled facilities were unavailable that morning.

About 50 workers gathered outside the Sagrada Família basilica after the consortium’s works council called for staff to support the action. Pau Solsona, a CGT union delegate and member of the works council, said the dispute had not advanced over the summer.

“We have not made any progress, and we want to make our discontent visible,” Solsona said.

Consortium reports 60% morning-shift participation

Burguillos said 60% of staff due to work the morning shift took part in the strike, while 40% worked behind closed doors. He said the council’s figures put average participation since May at 10% among weekday staff and 16% among weekend staff.

During August, 90% of libraries opened, Burguillos said, with strike participation lower than in other months.

Solsona accused Barcelona City Council of “immobility” and using a “tactic of attrition”. He said working hours, work-life balance, pay and alignment with conditions in other municipal sectors were among the workers’ negotiating priorities.

City Council proposal covers 482 posts

Burguillos said negotiations with the works council remained open and that the consortium had held 13 meetings since February. The proposal would apply a 35-hour working week across all 482 posts in the Barcelona Library Consortium.

  • A 35-hour week for all 482 consortium posts.
  • Regularisation of staff within Barcelona City Council’s employment framework.
  • An 8% pay increase, putting average pay at €42,866, plus seniority bonuses or holiday supplements.
“We have not closed negotiations at any point,” Burguillos said.

Burguillos said the consortium was waiting to see whether the workers’ side would reconsider its position.

Reported by liniaxarxa.cat, sagradafamilia.org, en.ara.cat, es.headtopics.com, CatalunyaPress.cat, elnacional.cat, diaricatalunya.cat, ACN, Línia Xarxa.