Business · Companies · 6 hrs ago
Spanish meat industry unions call off strikes as deal nears
Unions and employers in Spain’s meat industry have made significant progress toward a new agreement covering workers from 2026 to 2029.
The planned strikes for Thursday and Friday have been called off, and negotiators are expected to sign a preliminary deal on Thursday, November 12.
The proposed pay rises are 4% in 2026, 2.5% in 2027 and 2% in each of 2028 and 2029, with adjustments if December inflation exceeds those rates.
The unions had sought pay protection against inflation and a reduction in working hours, among other changes.
The agreement sets annual working time at 1,746 hours in 2028, while the article says the next year’s hours will be set separately.
Negotiators will now work to finalize the new national agreement, which covers an industry employing about 126,000 people in Spain.
Spanish meat industry unions have called off strikes planned for Thursday and Friday as employers and unions move closer to an agreement.
The organizations said a pre-agreement could be signed on Thursday, November 12.
The negotiating committee has met to work toward a final deal on the 2026-2029 National Meat Industry Agreement.
The proposed pay rises are 4% for 2026, 2.5% for 2027 and 2% for each of 2028 and 2029, with inflation-linked adjustment clauses.
The industry employs about 126,000 workers in Spain.
- Who
- The unions UGT and CCOO Industria, and employers' groups ANICE and FECIC.
- What
- The unions called off planned strikes as the parties moved closer to a pre-agreement on a new industry-wide contract.
- When
- The announcement was made on November 11, 2026. The pre-agreement was expected to be signed on November 12.
- Where
- Spain.
- Why
- The parties said they had made significant progress toward an understanding.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
ANICE, FECIC, UGT and CCOO Industria announced that the planned Thursday and Friday strikes were called off.
The negotiating committee met to work toward a final agreement on the 2026-2029 National Meat Industry Agreement.
The organizations said a pre-agreement was expected to be signed.
- Industry workforce in Spain
- About 126,000 workers
- Planned strikes
- Thursday and Friday, called off
- Agreement period
- 2026-2029
- Proposed pay rise for 2026
- 4%, retroactive to January 1
- Proposed pay rise for 2027
- 2.5%
- Proposed pay rises for 2028 and 2029
- 2% each
1 source
What people are saying
the terms of the pre-agreement are very close to our demands contained in the joint platform
a favorable scenario for signing a pre-agreement this Thursday, November 12