Barcelona library staff have begun an indefinite strike over working conditions, staffing levels and the city council’s new labour agreement for 2025 to 2028. The action started on 20 April and is being led by the Intersindical and CGT unions, which form the works council of the Consorci de Biblioteques de Barcelona.
Montse Serra, president of the works council and a representative for Intersindical, said the dispute is the result of long-running problems. She said staff have been pressing for structural improvements for years and that working conditions have not improved in 25 years.
The strike follows weeks of partial walkouts, especially on Saturdays, which unions say had high participation. During those earlier strikes, up to 37 of Barcelona’s 40 municipal libraries closed, according to the unions.
Union representatives say the sector is under pressure from heavy workloads, insufficient staffing, inflexible hours and pay they consider unfair. They also say the city council ignored library-specific demands during negotiations for the new municipal agreement, which was signed by CCOO, UGT and CSIF. For background on local labour coverage, see our news coverage.
The Consorci de Biblioteques de Barcelona is a joint body of Barcelona City Council and the Barcelona Provincial Council. Staff say the planned move to bring all workers under the municipal agreement would mean losing benefits they currently have under the provincial deal, including social benefits, personal days and other compensation.
Workers also say the new agreement does not match the conditions already enjoyed by city council staff, and that the promised 35-hour week is not a real reduction in workload. They argue that libraries have taken on more duties in recent years, including cultural activities, educational support, digital literacy and help with administrative tasks, without extra staff or pay. They also say IT support has been missing for a year, leaving exhausted staff to help users with tasks such as CVs, doctor’s appointments and school meal scholarship applications.
The works council says the dispute is about more than one agreement, it is about a wider deterioration in public service and working conditions. Staff say the strike will continue until there is a response to their demands. For official information on the city’s labour framework, readers can check Barcelona City Council and the Barcelona Provincial Council.
