In a surprising turn of events, the CCOO trade union has cancelled its planned strike on the Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat (FGC) network, set to disrupt travel during the upcoming Mobile World Congress (MWC). However, relief for conference attendees proved short-lived, as the train drivers’ union proceeds with its own industrial action, which CCOO has now decided to support.
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The Workers’ Commissions (CCOO), one of Spain’s largest trade unions, had initially called for a walkout from March 2 to 4, coinciding with the first three days of the Mobile World Congress. The MWC, a cornerstone of Barcelona’s annual event calendar, draws tens of thousands of international visitors, many of whom rely on the FGC rail network to reach the Fira de Barcelona Gran Via venue.
Procedural Error Halts Initial CCOO Strike
Just two days after announcing industrial action, CCOO informed its members it would withdraw the strike notice. According to a statement cited by El Periódico, the decision stemmed from a disagreement with FGC management over procedural deadlines. The union stated it had not filed the strike notice with the sufficient margin of time required by law.
In what it described as an “exercise of responsibility,” the union said it had chosen to prioritise the “legal protection of the workers” and therefore felt obliged to cancel its own protest. CCOO had called the strike to demand better working and contracting conditions, accusing FGC of failing to comply with the current collective bargaining agreement and not filling essential vacant positions.
The union will now pursue its objectives through negotiation with FGC via the Permanent Committee of the Works Council.
Train Drivers’ Stoppage to Go Ahead
Despite this cancellation, significant travel disruption is still on the cards. A separate strike, called by the Spanish Union of Train Drivers and Assistants (Semaf), is set to go ahead as planned. This action has already caused overcrowding and delays on February 24 and 25 and is scheduled to continue on March 2, 3, and 4, directly impacting the congress.
In a show of solidarity, CCOO has now officially joined the Semaf-led protest, ensuring a broader base for the industrial action. The combined union effort aims to pressure the Generalitat de Catalunya, which operates the FGC service, to address long-standing demands for improved safety measures and working conditions.
The looming action means that visitors to MWC 2026 will face a challenging commute. As Barna.News has previously reported, the FGC train strike is set to hit the Mobile World Congress, with significant disruption expected.
Minimum Services and Expected Delays
To mitigate the impact, the government has mandated minimum service levels. During the MWC dates, FGC will operate at 66% of its normal capacity during peak hours (06:30-09:30 and 16:00-20:00) and 33% during off-peak times. While this is an increase from the 50% peak-hour service seen during the February strike days, passengers are still being warned to expect crowded trains and significant delays.
The disruption comes as other transport operators are increasing services for the event. National rail operator Renfe, for instance, has announced it will offer 22,500 daily seats on its high-speed AVE trains to accommodate the influx of visitors to Barcelona.
With negotiations between the unions and FGC ongoing, commuters and MWC attendees should check for the latest travel updates and allow for extra journey time. The strike underscores a period of labour unrest, echoing other recent disputes in the region, including looming transport strikes and action by doctors in Catalonia.
