The general strike on November 11 has brought workers and citizens to the streets in different parts of Spain. In Almería, the early morning pickets and mobilizations have brought together very different demands, although with several problems that are repeated: access to housing, salaries and the situation of public services.
NewsWork has taken to the streets to learn first-hand what those who are participating in the Almería pickets are demanding and why they consider it necessary to support the protest. Three of the protesters interviewed especially agree on the difficulty of becoming independent and the need to strengthen public education and health.
“We are already very tired”
One of the protesters belongs to the Provincial Assembly of the Public School of Almería and explains that her presence does not respond solely to educational demands.
“There are many demands. Now we have put together several demonstrations, but they are all for the basic rights of all people,” he explains.
In his case, he focuses especially on public education: “Public education has a chronic situation of lack of financing, cuts and basic needs that are not covered.”
A situation that, he assures, has already reached a breaking point.
“We have reached a level of exhaustion. We are already very tired.”
Asked if the mobilizations can achieve changes, she insists that this does not end this Tuesday: “Almería is waking up, but there are already many places that have woken up. We are not going to stop because we cannot stop.”
Another of the interviewees agrees that the protest brings together different problems. “Fair work, fair and decent housing and the demands of many education and health workers are being demanded.”
“I still haven’t been able to become independent”
Housing appears precisely as one of the most recurring problems.
One of the protesters explains to NoticiasTrabajo that he has been participating in the mobilizations related to this issue in Almería for some time and believes that the situation has only gotten worse.
“For many years now, housing has been very difficult to buy, very difficult to rent, and it is getting worse.”
For him, protests can serve to provoke changes. “The workers and the ordinary citizen have the final strength to achieve things,” he maintains.
But probably the most direct testimony is that of another young man asked about what affects him personally.
“Housing,” he answers without hesitation.
The reason? “I can’t currently have a home. It doesn’t give me the salary to have a home. I haven’t been able to become independent yet, I can’t.”
Their demand is also clear: “Housing for all. Health and public education.” And he adds that “housing is not a business, it is a basic right.”
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General strike November 11, live | Strikes, demonstrations, minimum services and pickets on roads and urban accesses
Three different testimonies that end up pointing out very similar problems and explain why some of those who took to the streets of Almería on November 11 consider that they still have reasons to continue protesting.