Spanish railway workers start 46-hour strike

MADRID

Employees of Spain's national train and railway companies have called a 46-hour strike ahead of one of the country’s busiest holiday periods.

Workers at state-owned train company Renfe, and employees of Adif, a public rail infrastructure company operated by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, will strike until 11 p.m. Friday to protest a perceived lack of staff.

"We claim for more public and quality jobs," Juan Carlos Cabello, a spokesman for trade union CCOO, said Thursday. "We also ask to reunify the train infrastructures and operations in a sole public company, like in Germany or France."

According to national daily El Pais, the unions called the strike after the Ministry of Public Works said it will double "the high-speed passenger volume from 26 to 50 million between now and 2018."

With unions already bemoaning a shortage of staff, they fear services will deteriorate. 

The two-day strike comes as most people embark on their summer holidays, although Renfe has said it will little impact as at least 77 percent of long distance and high-speed trains will run. 

A Renfe representative said just 4.29 percent of staff elected to strike, while the CCOO union said it has the "support of 100 percent of employees."

Travellers, however, seemed supportive of the unions' actions.

"It’s very good that workers fight for their labor rights," Jose, 23, said from Madrid's largest train station.

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