Library staff in Barcelona have launched a series of strikes, beginning on Monday afternoon, 21 April 2026, to demand improved working conditions and better pay. The industrial action, organised by the Works Council of the Barcelona Library Consortium, includes a 24-hour strike on Tuesday and indefinite Saturday stoppages, coinciding with the city's Sant Jordi celebrations.
The initial protest on Monday, from 18:00 to 20:45, saw workers occupy the Sarrià – J. V. Foix library, displaying banners with slogans such as "Biblioteques en lluita" (Libraries in struggle) and "Defensem les nostres biblioteques" (We defend our libraries). The strikes are set to continue throughout the week, with further protests planned to coincide with the Sant Jordi proclamation on 22 April, the main events of the festival on 23 April, and the Municipal Plenary on 24 April. According to the CGT and Intersindical, the two main unions calling the strike, the action seeks "dignified working conditions to guarantee a quality service," addressing schedules that "sacrifice work-life balance" with split shifts lasting up to 11 hours daily.
Demands for Fairer Conditions
The unions are calling for conditions equivalent to those of other Barcelona City Council staff, highlighting a "historic double discrimination." This, they argue, stems from "endemic shortcomings of the cultural sector" and the comparative disadvantage of a feminised profession, which is consequently "worse paid and less considered." They also demand recognition of libraries' fundamental role as cultural and social hubs within neighbourhoods, often taking on "functions typical of other municipal services." Specific demands include a corresponding supplement for direct public service and a dedicated protocol to address potential cases of violence.
Further reasons for the strike, according to the Works Council, include the opening of new libraries "with minimum staff," a perceived need for greater investment and resource optimisation, the suppression of the TIC (Information and Communication Technologies) support service designed to reduce the digital divide, and the outsourcing of public services. Montse Serra, a delegate for the Works Council of the Barcelona Library Consortium, stated, "For now, the company is not letting us negotiate. They come with a closed package, with their barred proposal. And that is why it is very difficult and we have started these mobilsations."
Consortium Responds to Negotiations
In response, the Barcelona Library Consortium maintains that negotiations remain open. The Consortium stated that it is working towards implementing a 35-hour week to promote work-life balance and to 'functionalise' the workforce, which involves making staff permanent civil servants. Furthermore, the Consortium highlighted that its staff has increased by over 70 people to ensure adequate service provision.
The Works Council has warned that the stoppages could extend into May, affecting the weeks leading up to university entrance exams. With protests scheduled throughout Sant Jordi week and during the Municipal Plenary, the dispute over working conditions and the future of Barcelona's library services is set to continue.
