Coalition Forms Around Housing and Mobility

On Wednesday 11th November 2026, a general strike called by trade unions against soaring housing prices will also amplify demands for equitable public transport and education rights. The demonstration, known as the 11-N strike, has drawn support from a broad coalition including teachers’ unions, regional rail user platforms, and housing advocacy groups across Catalonia.

Rail Users Demand 'Dignified Mobility'

The largest Rodalies commuter rail user platform, Dignitat a les Vies, has confirmed its participation, stating that "defending the railways is defending rights." They argue that unreliable or insufficient public transport disproportionately affects working-class communities. The Ebre rail user platform, representing isolated areas in Terres de l’Ebre, has also joined, highlighting that residents in remote regions often face barriers to education, healthcare, and employment due to poor connectivity. Cinta Galiana, spokesperson for Trens Dignes, told ACN this week that students cannot afford housing in Barcelona and many workers are forced into long daily commutes. "We are calling for accessible, reliable, and dignified public mobility," she said.

"We must be able to live in our regions without being disconnected from work, services, and opportunities,"

, R3 rail line user platform, which runs from L'Hospitalet de Llobregat to Puigcerdà via Barcelona and Vic. The platform Perquè no ens fotin el tren, defending the R3 line, stressed that "there is no dignified life without rights," linking housing, transport, and regional survival.

USTEC, the main public school union, has called on educators to join the strike, adding an "educational block" to the demonstration. They argue that housing instability directly undermines students’ learning conditions. "Without a home, there is no education," USTEC stated, noting that some students face eviction or frequent school changes due to unaffordable rent. The union warns that children without stable housing lack the space and security needed to study. This is not the first time educators have mobilised over housing. In September 2026, teachers from central Catalonia had planned a strike to prevent the eviction of ten students in Manresa from the Bloc 8 building, occupied by families and owned by investment fund Cerberus. The action was called off after the Generalitat and Manresa city council jointly purchased the property for €600,000, €540,000 from the regional government and €60,000 from the municipality, to convert it into public housing. The move was hailed by activists as a victory, echoing the resolution of the Casa Orsola case in Barcelona. However, unions including USTEC, CGT, and Intersindical warn that the struggle continues, particularly in Sant Vicenç de Castellet, where 15 families and up to 30 minors face housing insecurity after the building was acquired by Voyager Reo SL.

The strike unfolds against the backdrop of Catalonia’s ongoing housing crisis. Under Resolution TER/800/2024, published in the Official Journal of the Catalan Government on 14th March 2024, 140 municipalities, including Barcelona, Manresa, Girona, and Lleida, are officially designated as areas of "tense residential market." This classification, established under Law 12/2023 of 24th May on the right to housing, triggers specific measures to regulate rents and protect tenants. Despite these provisions, housing platforms like Docents 080 in Barcelona argue that evictions involving minors should be classified as mistreatment, reflecting the deep social impact of housing instability on children.

What This Means for Residents

For commuters, students, and working families across Catalonia, the 11-N strike signals a growing convergence of social movements around housing, transport, and education. The demonstration will take place in central Barcelona on Wednesday 11th November 2026. Further details on assembly points and routes will be published via elmon.cat and union channels in the coming weeks.

Primary sources: habitatge.gencat.cat. Reported by elmon.cat, naciodigital.cat.