Metal strike La Coruña May 26-27 2026: mandatory minimum services

Key data

Metal companies in La Coruña have an immediate and non-negotiable obligation: to keep the minimum necessary personnel operational during the strike called for May 26 and 27, 2026. The Order TED/512/2026, published in the BOE on May 26, establishes the minimum services that must be covered to protect electrical supply, the safety of people and the integrity of industrial facilities.

This is not a recommendation: it is a legal obligation with direct consequences if not complied with. Managers and HR directors of these companies must act immediately to identify which positions are essential and ensure their coverage during the stoppage.

What does this regulation establish?

Order TED/512/2026 responds to the strike called in all companies of the collective agreement for the metal sector in the province of La Coruña for May 26 and 27, 2026. Its objective is to balance the constitutional right to strike with the protection of essential services for citizens and industry.

The three pillars that must be guaranteed during the stoppage are:

• Continuous supply of electrical energy: Facilities linked to the generation, distribution or maintenance of electrical supply cannot be left without minimum personnel coverage.
• Safety of people: The necessary positions must be maintained to avoid risks to workers, facilities and third parties.
• Integrity of facilities: Essential functions must be covered to prevent material damage or risk situations in the plant or facility.

Affected companies must keep the strictly necessary personnel operational to cover these three areas. The regulation does not set a universal percentage of staff: each company must determine which positions are essential based on its specific activity.

Economic and operational impact

The impact for affected companies occurs on two simultaneous levels:

Operational level: The company must identify, before the strike begins, which workers must attend their positions obligatorily. This involves individually communicating to each designated worker their obligation to provide minimum services, which can generate tensions in the work environment during the stoppage.

Economic and legal level: Non-compliance with minimum services is not a minor violation. According to Order TED/512/2026, it may result in administrative and labor responsibilities. This includes potential sanctions by the labor authority and possible claims arising from damages caused by the lack of coverage of essential services.

Additionally, companies that do not properly manage the designation of minimum services may face conflicts with worker representatives or the strike committee, which adds complexity to managing the stoppage.

Who does it affect?

• Metal sector companies in the province of La Coruña included in the scope of the provincial metal collective agreement.
• Metal sector workers in La Coruña who are designated to cover minimum services during May 26 and 27, 2026.
• Operations directors, HR managers and executives of these companies, who must manage the designation and communication of minimum services.
• Companies linked to the supply of electrical energy with presence in La Coruña whose activity is classified under the provincial metal collective agreement.

Practical example

A metal sector company in La Coruña with 80 employees on staff, dedicated to the maintenance of industrial electrical installations, receives the strike call for May 26 and 27, 2026.

Its operations director must analyze which positions are essential to guarantee the three services protected by Order TED/512/2026:

• On-call technicians for the maintenance of electrical supply in critical customer installations.
• Plant safety personnel to prevent risks to people and own facilities.
• Minimum shift operators for the control of processes that cannot be interrupted without risk of material damage.

Once these positions are identified, the company must individually notify the designated workers of their obligation to attend, prior to the start of the stoppage. If the company does not perform this management and minimum services are not covered, it is exposed to administrative and labor responsibilities in accordance with Order TED/512/2026.

What should companies do now?

1. Identify essential positions: Analyze which functions in your company are essential to guarantee electrical supply, safety of people and integrity of facilities during May 26 and 27.
2. Designate minimum services personnel: Select the specific workers who must cover those positions, prioritizing objective criteria and documenting the decision.
3. Individually notify designated workers: Communicate in writing and prior to the start of the strike the obligation of each designated worker to provide minimum services.
4. Coordinate with the strike committee: Inform worker representatives about the minimum services established to avoid conflicts during the stoppage.
5. Document the entire process: Keep written evidence of designations, notifications and communications made, as support against possible claims or inspections.
6. Consult with labor advisors if in doubt: If you are unclear about which positions are essential in your specific activity, consult with a labor advisor before the strike begins to avoid administrative and labor responsibilities.