Hold the line! How a union’s winning campaign paid off for metal workers in Barcelona

Laura de Agorreta i Camps is Digital Strategy & Campaigns Manager at Catalan trade union CCOO. Over the past months, the union has coordinated industrial action by metal workers fighting for better pay and working conditions. She explains how a creative digital communications and email campaign amplified the strikers’ determination and helped secure a victory for workers. 

In Barcelona, unions and employers in the metallurgy sector have been facing off for months over key issues related to compensation, working hours and rights protections. This deadlock in negotiations led to a prolonged strike campaign.

But then came a breakthrough — on 28 November, a preliminary agreement for improved wages, rights and working conditions was finally reached, and on 3 December it was unanimously approved by union delegates. This successful outcome was made possible thanks to the pressure of the strike and the broad support for the mobilization by workers across the sector.

This success was possible thanks to the pressure of the strike and the broad support for the mobilization by workers across the sector.

How the dispute unfolded

Negotiations for a new metal industry agreement had been stalled for months due to the Metal Employers' Confederation blocking progress. With the agreement affecting 200,000 families, the stakes were high.

In June 2025, it became clear to us that mobilization would be necessary. The first major demonstration took place on 1 July. When the employers still refused to move, we called for a general strike. 

CCOO visual announcing the October strike action

On 29 and 30 October, thousands mobilized, shutting down medium and large metal companies, disrupting traffic, and forming picket lines across Barcelona. Afterwards, talks resumed but the employers’ association continued to insist on unacceptable conditions. As a result, we prepared to escalate with larger strikes planned for early December.

A winning communications strategy

During the two days of intense strike action in October, thousands of workers took to the streets. We contacted media outlets and posted on social networks which helped get the word out, garnering public attention and support for the demonstrations. 

Part of an Instagram post outlining the main actions and reasons behind the strike.

The organic content published on social networks performed very well, making a strong impact and obtaining high levels of engagement. We carried out a public communication campaign explaining the reasons behind the industrial action and providing the timeline of events, such as in this Instagram post. 

To maximize public support, we created explainer posts on social media setting out how this action affects the public and explaining the metalworkers’ demands as well as the broader significance of the strike for society as a whole. And we also shared videos with live reporting from those on the ground at the strike. 

Strikers shared videos reporting from the ground.

The power of e-mail

On 11 November, we launched a letter campaign. We encouraged people to write to the Metal Workers employers’ association and its unions to urge them to unblock the negotiations and reach an agreement to provide workers with a fair deal.

The response to this campaign was extraordinary: 153,239 letters were sent, smashing through the 150,000 target. More than 8,250 people participated, of which 2,650 were new supporters. Most of the new emails arrived via "WhatsApp share" or via forwarded email. This was a clear indication that the share button on WhatsApp is highly effective and that, in this sector (metal industry), forwarding emails also works very well. This shows the power of mass email as a digital tactic — even among groups where we might not expect it to gain such traction. 

The response to this campaign was extraordinary: 153,239 letters were sent, well beyond the 150,000 target.

The campaign achieved a broad reach — it was not only metal workers who responded but also workers across a range of other sectors, demonstrating high levels of solidarity and the understanding that this mutual support among workers may be needed in future mobilizations. The volume of letters even overwhelmed the employers’ association’s inboxes, underscoring workers’ resolve.

Thanks to sustained pressure and the threat of further large-scale strikes in early December, the employers eventually returned to the table. With the announcement of a preliminary agreement, the December strike was called off.

Too loud to ignore

Barcelona’s metal workers have shown what sustained organizing, clear communication, and solidarity can achieve. This win was not only the result of a determined workforce and industrial strength on the ground, but also of a strategic digital campaign that ensured workers’ voices were heard loudly and clearly.

Harnessing the voices of thousands to send a strong message to the employers’ association showed what is possible when people unite in the face of powerful interests — and when they are directed to the right channels to make their voices heard effectively. By maintaining constant pressure and increasing momentum, the movement could no longer be ignored.

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Featured image provided courtesy of CCOO.