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Spain could face major disruption to passenger transport and supply deliveries next month after the UGT union announced plans for an indefinite nationwide strike by truck and bus drivers starting on Monday June 8.

 

The dispute centres on long-running demands for earlier retirement options for professional drivers and growing frustration over what unions describe as a lack of progress from the Ministry of Social Security.

 

UGT confirmed on Thursday May 14 that the strike would go ahead unless the government provides clear written information about the status of negotiations over so-called reduction coefficients, which would allow drivers in the sector to retire earlier under certain conditions.

 

So far, no other unions have formally joined the strike call, although UGT says the issue has been affecting drivers for decades.

 

Antonio Oviedo, general secretary of UGT’s Services, Mobility and Consumption Federation, said the union has spent years pushing for changes without receiving proper answers from the ministry.

 

“Hence our concern that at this point we know nothing more,” he said during a press conference.

 

According to the union, legislation gave the government six months to respond to proposals regarding early retirement measures for the sector. That deadline has now passed and unions fear the lack of official communication could effectively mean the proposals are treated as rejected through “administrative silence”.

 

UGT says it has not even been invited to a single meeting about the matter during the past year.

 

“We want a written response that clearly tells us the status of the sector's reduction coefficients and when they will more or less end,” Oviedo stated.

 

The union warned that if no response arrives soon, the strike will be formally confirmed on May 24.

If it goes ahead, the action could have a major impact across Spain, affecting both freight transport and bus services during the busy early summer period.

 

Union representative Miró admitted that the strike would inevitably affect the public but argued that the issue also concerns road safety and ageing drivers remaining behind the wheel for too long.

 

“Of course it will have an impact,” he explained, before adding that the action “is also good for citizens”.

 

He pointed to situations involving elderly drivers operating long-distance coach services and claimed there have been accidents linked to age-related issues.

 

“Imserso trips where the oldest person is the driver,” he said, referring to popular subsidised holiday trips for pensioners in Spain.

 

The union is now calling on the government to clarify exactly what stage discussions have reached and whether any extension to the legal deadlines has been granted.

 

“We ask that if they are truly discussing this and working on it, they tell us when, how, and where,” Miró said.

 

If the strike moves forward, it could create travel difficulties for passengers across Spain and place additional pressure on supply chains already facing rising transport costs.