RTVE Strike September 14, 2026: Minimum Services and Mandatory Staff Percentages

Key data

On September 14, 2026, the CGT calls for a partial strike at the RTVE Corporation with three one-hour stoppages: from 6 to 7h, from 13 to 14h and from 20 to 21h. To ensure the continuity of public communication services, the Government has published Order HAC/954/2026, of September 10, which sets the essential minimum services that must be maintained during those stoppages.

The regulation establishes specific percentages of minimum staff per center and expressly excludes certain channels and programming from the obligation to provide minimum services. RTVE's presidency is responsible for designating specific personnel within the limits set.

What does this regulation establish?

Order HAC/954/2026 defines which RTVE activities are considered essential services and how much personnel must remain operational during each stoppage. The services declared essential are:

• Production and broadcasting of news programs on TVE
• Production and broadcasting of news programs on RNE
• Production and broadcasting of news programs on RTVE.es
• Official communications of public interest

The minimum mandatory staff percentages per center or scope are as follows:

The following channels and programming are expressly excluded from minimum services:

• Radio 3
• Radio Clásica
• Clan
• Teledeporte
• Non-news programming from Sant Cugat

RTVE's presidency has the authority to determine which specific workers are designated to cover minimum services, always within the maximum percentages set by the Order.

Economic and operational impact

For the RTVE Corporation, the operational impact is concentrated on managing the three hourly stoppages on September 14. The regulation does not establish direct economic sanctions for the company, but does establish clear consequences for personnel:

• Personnel designated to cover minimum services who fail to report to work incur illegal non-compliance, with the disciplinary and legal responsibility that entails.
• RTVE management must manage personnel designation with sufficient advance notice to cover the three affected shifts.
• Centers with greater coverage requirements are territorial centers and news units, where 40% of staff must be operational.
• Madrid, being the main center, has the lowest threshold (15%), which reflects a larger pool of available workers to absorb news coverage.

From an operational perspective, channels excluded from minimum services (Radio 3, Radio Clásica, Clan, Teledeporte and non-news programming from Sant Cugat) may be affected by interruptions or content reduction during stoppages, without any obligation to provide minimum coverage.

Who does it affect?

• RTVE workers in Madrid: subject to the 15% minimum staff threshold.
• RTVE workers in Barcelona and Canary Islands: subject to the 20% threshold.
• Workers in territorial centers and news units: subject to the most demanding threshold, 40%.
• Personnel designated for minimum services: required to work during stoppages under penalty of illegal non-compliance.
• RTVE presidency: responsible for identifying and communicating designated personnel.
• Workers in Radio 3, Radio Clásica, Clan, Teledeporte and Sant Cugat (non-news programming): not subject to minimum services, can exercise the right to strike without restriction.
• CGT union: strike convener, with the obligation to respect established minimum services.

Practical example

Imagine the RTVE territorial center in Seville. If that center has 50 workers on staff during the midday shift (13-14h), Order HAC/954/2026 requires that at least 20 of those 50 workers (40%) remain at their posts during that one-hour stoppage, ensuring the production and broadcasting of news content.

If RTVE's presidency designates those 20 workers and one of them decides to join the strike without having been excluded from minimum services, that worker incurs illegal non-compliance with the corresponding disciplinary and legal consequences.

In contrast, a worker at Radio 3 or Clan at that same center can freely exercise their right to strike during the three stoppages, since these channels are expressly excluded from minimum services.

What should companies do now?

Although this regulation directly affects RTVE as an employer and its workers, the steps to follow are clear:

1. Identify affected personnel by center: RTVE management must calculate 15%, 20% or 40% of staff as appropriate for each center and affected shift (6-7h, 13-14h and 20-21h).
2. Formally designate minimum services personnel: RTVE's presidency must communicate in writing to designated workers their obligation to report during stoppages.
3. Correctly exclude channels not subject to minimums: Radio 3, Radio Clásica, Clan, Teledeporte and non-news programming from Sant Cugat do not require mandatory coverage; do not designate personnel from these channels against their will.
4. Guarantee essential news coverage: TVE, RNE and RTVE.es must maintain production and broadcasting of news and official communications of public interest during the three stoppages.
5. Document the designation process: in case of union or legal claims, it is advisable to keep written records of the criteria for selecting designated personnel.
6. Inform personnel of the consequences of non-compliance: the designated worker who does not report commits an illegal violation; management must communicate this clearly before September 14.

Official source

Consult complete regulation at official source

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-19105