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Barcelona libraries remain on strike over working improvements
Barcelona's municipal libraries face the summer with the indefinite strike still under way. Staff have decided to maintain the stoppages begun in May, a situation that could affect opening hours, customer services and activities during the height of the heat and school-holiday season.
The decision was made at an assembly held at the Biblioteca Can Fabra, where the staff voted by a large majority to continue the protest. The workers are demanding better working conditions and pay, as well as clearer recognition of their professional role within the public network.
The works council accuses the Ayuntamiento of not having entered into real negotiations. It also calls for compliance with the proposal approved on 16 June by the Comisión de Drets Socials i Cultura, which urged the promotion of dialogue to address the conditions of library staff.
Tensions have risen because, according to the council, the manager of Recursos Humanos del Ayuntamiento has still not agreed to sit down to negotiate. The Departament de Treball has called a new mediation for this Thursday, after the previous one could not take place due to the absence of the company.
The strike began on 26 May, following several days of partial stoppages and 24-hour strikes that had already started in April. Since then, the daily activity of the libraries has been disrupted in various parts of the city.
The impact is especially noticeable in summer. Many people use the libraries to study, work, read, connect to the internet, or simply spend time in a quiet space. They also serve as climate shelters, something increasingly important during episodes of intense heat.
The library network plays a role closely tied to neighbourhood life. They are not just reading rooms: they host workshops, clubs, children's activities, cultural gatherings, and basic services for residents who do not always find these options in other facilities.
The mediation in the coming days could determine the direction of the conflict. If there is no progress, Barcelona faces a summer with part of its library network under pressure, just when these spaces become most necessary for studying, sheltering from the heat, and keeping local cultural activity alive.