The major trade unions, Comisiones Obreras (CCOO) and Unión General de Trabajadores (UGT), have confirmed that their general secretaries, Unai Sordo and Pepe Álvarez, will travel to the capital of Málaga to lead the march. This choice, initially reported by El Confidencial and confirmed by 101TV, represents a rare departure from Spanish trade union tradition.
The significance of this date is twofold, as at midnight on the same May 1st, the campaign for the Andalusian regional elections, scheduled for May 17th, will officially begin. This coincidence transforms the day into a dual starting point: for both trade union mobilization and the electoral contest in the region.
The decision to hold the central May Day demonstration outside Madrid is an exception in the recent history of Spanish trade unionism.
Historically, the central May Day demonstration has been held in Madrid, with few exceptions. The first time it was moved was in 2011 to Valencia, and earlier, in 1984, UGT held its march alone in Bilbao due to internal divisions. Apart from these instances, the Spanish capital has always been the usual venue.
Málaga's selection also carries a clear political implication. Left-wing parties, such as the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), Por Andalucía, and Adelante Andalucía, view this mobilization as an opportunity to energize an electorate that typically participates in general elections but historically abstains in regional ones. Representatives from both the PSOE and Por Andalucía are expected to attend the march.
One of the main focuses of the union message will be the housing crisis. CCOO and UGT aim to highlight how rising rental and mortgage costs erode workers' purchasing power, an issue that strongly resonates with the citizens of Andalusia.
