Strike Misplaced, Says Business Leader
Antoni Cañete, president of Pimec, the Catalan association for small and medium-sized enterprises, has dismissed the upcoming general strike on Wednesday 11th November as an ineffective response to the housing crisis, stating it will not resolve the underlying problems. In an interview published by ARA on Monday 9th November 2026, Cañete said:
The day before the strike we will have a housing problem, and the day after there will still be the same housing problem.
He argued that general strikes should be reserved for labour disputes, not broader social and economic issues.
Housing Affects Business Competitiveness
Cañete acknowledged housing is the top social issue in Catalonia, but stressed it also undermines economic performance. He cited Pimec's analysis that half of unfilled job vacancies stem from high housing costs, which deter workers from taking positions. While supporting wage increases, he warned they must be tied to productivity. SMEs, he noted, operate on a narrow 4.9% profit margin, and 80% of recent gross value added growth has already gone to labour costs.
We cannot raise salaries today if it forces companies to close tomorrow,
he said.
Supply, Not Regulation, Is the Answer
Cañete criticised short-term rent controls, arguing they discourage landlords from offering properties, worsening scarcity. He called for long-term supply expansion and faster planning approvals, citing cases where construction firms waited six months for permits.
If housing is a problem, let the company requesting a building permit have it within fifteen days, or a month,
he urged. He also advocated boosting prefabricated construction to speed delivery. Pimec, which represents over 600 business leaders across sectors, believes current policies create legal uncertainty and fail SMEs, who lack a distinct voice in national employer organisations like CEOE. The general strike, organised by labour and tenants’ unions, will take place on Wednesday 11th November, with Renfe drivers also striking on Monday 9th and Wednesday 11th November.
