Málaga faces the general strike of 11-N this Wednesday. We tell you the minimum services of the EMT, the metro, the trains, the airport, cleaning and hospitals, and the route of the afternoon demonstration.
Redacción
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Photo: Lig Ynnek / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
Today, Wednesday, November 11, is a general strike day. It is called by CCOO, UGT, CGT, CNT and other unions across Spain, over wages, housing and prices. It runs from 00:00 to 24:00; in companies with shifts, it begins in the last shift before midnight. These are the minimum services that affect anyone who lives or moves around Málaga.
Buses and metro
The EMT is running at 60 % of its service from first thing, according to the City Council. The Málaga Metro has not published its own timetable; the Regional Government sets 60 % for all urban transport, metro included, and the same for the buses of the Consorcio de Transporte Metropolitano, which has not given special timetables either. First thing there is a picket called at the Princesa-Huelin metro entrance.
The Málaga Cercanías (C1 to Fuengirola and C2 to Álora) run at 75 % during peak hours (from 6:00 to 9:00, at midday between 13:30 and 16:00, depending on the line, and from 18:30 to 20:30) and at 50 % the rest of the day. Media Distancia trains, including the Avant, run at 65 % on average and the AVE and Larga Distancia at 73 %, according to the resolution of the Ministry of Transport reported by Renfe. Iryo keeps 32 of its 44 trains and Ouigo, 69 %. Ticket offices handle changes and refunds; before going to the station it is worth checking whether your train is among those running.
Among the protected Media Distancia trains are those from Málaga to Sevilla and to Granada.
At Málaga airport, Transport protects 75 % of flights with the Canary Islands, Balearic Islands, Ceuta and Melilla; 57 % of international and domestic flights with no alternative by land in under five hours, and 32 % of the rest, according to the ministry's resolution. Assistance for people with reduced mobility and the medical service are maintained at 75 %. Before going, it is worth confirming the flight with the airline.
The Málaga-Melilla line has one boat guaranteed in each direction, provided sea conditions allow it (Marina Mercante resolution).
Hospitals and health centres
SAS hospitals work as on a Sunday or public holiday, with emergencies, ICUs, delivery rooms and emergency operating theatres fully covered. Treatments that cannot wait are guaranteed: chemotherapy, radiotherapy, cancer surgery, dialysis and oxygen therapy. What is not guaranteed are consultations, tests and scheduled operations that can be postponed, so anyone with an appointment today may find it is changed.
In health centres without emergencies (SUAP) at least one doctor remains for urgent cases; in auxiliary surgeries there are no minimums and you have to go to the reference centre, as on a public holiday. 061 maintains 90 % of call handling and all its mobile teams, and Salud Responde, 75 %. Pharmacies open as on a Sunday. This is set by the order of the Regional Ministry of Health (SAS note).
Schools
Schools and secondary schools open with a member of the management team and between one and three more teachers, depending on the number of pupils, but classes are not guaranteed. The canteen runs at most at 33 % of usual, so it is worth asking at the centre before leaving children to eat. Nursery schools for ages 0 to 3 are left with the management, one to four technicians and one person in the kitchen.
Cleaning of municipal schools is left with 93 workers, four in nursery schools and two in the special education centre, according to the City Council's resolution.
Cleaning and municipal services
Limasam covers the minimums with 224 cleaning workers, 95 collection workers, 104 drivers and eight machine operators, and about 80 people at the Centro Ambiental de Los Ruices, according to the City Council. Emasa maintains water and treatment, Parcemasa has staff at the cemeteries, the Local Police work normally and the Registro General opens with one employee.
Care homes for the elderly, for people with disabilities and for minors work as on a public holiday, and day centres at 50 %. Home help is provided according to the degree of dependency, from 90 % of hours in the most severe cases to 40 % in degree I, always with washing, food and medication guaranteed.
Other services
—Post offices: offices open during their usual hours with one to three people per shift and deliveries are maintained at half capacity, mainly due to postal voting for 29-N (order in the BOE).
—Petrol stations: at least 20% of those in each comarca must open (BOE).
—112: provincial rooms operate with half of their managers and regional ones with 80%.
—State offices (SEPE, Seguridad Social, DNI): no minimum services have been published. They open, but service depends on how many people join the strike.
—Banks and shops: they are not essential services and have no minimums. Each will open according to its staff.
—Canal Sur: only broadcasts news programmes, in reduced format.
—Junta museums and monuments: only security staff remain, so the foreseeable outcome is that they close.
Demonstration
The afternoon demonstration sets off at 18:00 from the Fuente de las Tres Gracias, on the Paseo del Parque, goes past the Ayuntamiento, the plaza de la Marina, the Alameda and the avenida de Andalucía and ends under the puente de las Américas, next to the Jardines Picasso. At 12:00 another one has been called for public education. These are the times the unions have circulated.
What nobody has published yet is the monitoring data. InfoMálaga will be reporting throughout the day on how the minimum services are being met.
