Metalworkers protest. Credit: X @diariocadiz
Commuters stuck for hours as protests shut roads and spark outrage.
Thousands of drivers travelling between La Línea and Gibraltar have been affected by traffic jams. Many people were left stranded in sweltering conditions on Tuesday, June 24, as the continuing metalworkers’ strike in Cádiz brought traffic to a standstill.
Although La Línea has no metal industry of its own, it was one in all the hardest-hit areas, with major access roads blocked by pickets or closed off by police. Only one alternative, the narrow Higuerón road, remained open, but it surely quickly became jammed with cars, resulting in delays of over 4 hours for some drivers. Some people even missed their flights.
Blocked roads and boiling frustration around Cadiz
The indefinite strike began after talks collapsed between unions and employers within the province’s metal sector between June 18-19. Since June 23, key roads around Cádiz and neighbouring municipalities have been repeatedly disrupted.
According to local reports, around 200 protesters blocked the CA-34 near the Moeve company in San Roque. This caused traffic to back up onto the A-7, creating severe delays within the direction of Málaga. From around 8am on June 26, only cars exiting La Línea were allowed through, leaving everyone else stuck.
Avenida de Astilleros in Cádiz, which runs in front of the capital’s Navantia factory, was closed to traffic from 7:15 am on June 26, despite the absence of barricades or disturbances. The two bridges were open for traffic. In Puerto Real, some 80 individuals gathered within the Alestis parking zone, but no traffic was disrupted. A peaceful picket of 40 individuals at El Puerto’s Tecnobahía industrial park also gathered. In San Fernando, eight individuals were positioned between the Navantia factory’s entrances and turnstiles, while security forces directed traffic to avoid traffic congestion. (As reported by Diario de Cadiz.)
La Línea mayor Juan Franco called the disruption “unjustifiable,” warning it was having “real social consequences” with residents missing work, school, and medical appointments, as reported by GBC News.
The human impact was captured by a Facebook post by Lori Hillman who described witnessing people trapped in cars for hours in scorching heat on Tuesday, June 24.
“On Tuesday it took me 4 and a half hours to finish a twenty-minute journey from Pueblo Nuevo to Gibraltar. No signs of warning, no police giving out water in the warmth. No solution to turn around to go home.”
“I saw cars overheated, broken down on the side of the road… I saw a lady who just stopped her automobile, head in hands, sobbing…”
“I saw elderly people in old cars without air-con, windows open, fanning themselves with fans or pieces of cardboard. 4 1/2 hours for an elderly person, no movement, no water, this can be a serious threat to their health, to their heart and kidneys. I do know because I’m a health practitioner.
I saw babies in these cars and young children hot and crying. Missing school, work, medical appointments.”
“Shame on the organisation who didn’t consider consequences and shame on the local authorities who didn’t provide information or send police on motorbikes to envision on vulnerable people.”
No end in sight
Metalworkers in Cádiz proceed to dam roads each day outside major employers like Navantia, Alestis, and the Tecnobahía industrial estate. Although most picket lines have remained peaceful, the dimensions and site of those protests – particularly near commuter routes – have sparked rising anger amongst residents within the Campo de Gibraltar and beyond.
“Nothing is finalized or concrete,” said Antonio Montoro of the UGT to the media, but he did add that “there have been proposals from either side” after a gathering on the Andalusian Council of Labor Relations (CARL) in Seville on Thursday, June 26.
While the employees have a legal right to strike, many are actually questioning whether that right should come at such a high cost to public health and each day life.
View all news from Spain.
Escape the ordinary and discover the extraordinary! From bustling cities to serene landscapes, every journey begins with a single step—let us guide yours. Enjoy curated itineraries, hidden gems, and hassle-free bookings designed for explorers at heart. Whether it's a weekend getaway or a globe-trotting adventure, your Next unforgettable experience is just a click away.
