Just as thousands of British travelers prepare to jet off for their summer holidays, storm clouds are brewing over some of Spain’s most popular islands.
Hotel and hospitality workers in the Balearic Islands are gearing up for major strike action that’s set to kick off in early July—potentially disrupting stays in sunny spots like Majorca, Ibiza, and Formentera.
Hotel Workers Set Dates for Major Walkouts
After last-ditch talks collapsed on Wednesday evening, union leaders called for six separate strike days: July 10, 18, 19, 25, 26, and 31.
More than 180,000 staff from hotels, restaurants, bars, and other tourist hotspots are expected to walk off the job.
The ripple effects could hit accommodation, dining, and nightlife just as tourist season peaks.
Pay Dispute Reaches Boiling Point
At the heart of the dispute? A pay raise—or lack of it.
The unions had already lowered their demand to a 16% increase over three years, but employers only countered with an 11% offer.
Hotel bosses did up their offer earlier this month to 9.5%, but union representatives called it “crumbs,” arguing that workers are being forced to rely on tips to survive.
Negotiations resumed Wednesday but broke down after a midday lunch break.
UGT union spokesperson José García Relucio was blunt: “We came here to improve workers’ lives, not make them worse.”
Hotel Industry Leaders Say Talks Were Doomed
Leaders on the hotel side have been quick to shift blame.
Javier Fich, head of the Majorca Hotel Business Federation, called the outcome a “failure” and claimed the unions were too narrowly focused on wage demands.
His colleague María José Aguiló added that the strike threats from the start had soured the atmosphere for any real progress.
Contrast With Canary Islands, Where Strikes Were Averted
In a twist of timing, this chaos comes just as the Canary Islands managed to avoid a similar crisis.
Hotel workers in Tenerife and three nearby islands struck a last-minute pay deal with employers, preventing planned strikes there.
That agreement, by contrast, seemed to calm tensions rather than ignite them.
Tourists Already Dealing With Anti-Tourism Protests
As if potential hotel strikes weren’t enough, British tourists have already faced tension on the islands earlier this month when thousands of residents hit the streets to protest what they call “overtourism.”
In Majorca and Ibiza, angry locals marched through tourist areas, banging drums and holding signs that read: “Tourists go home” and “Mallorca is not your cash cow.”
Protesters—including children—were seen carrying water pistols and chanting slogans in Spanish aimed at foreign visitors.
Some even took aim at platforms like Airbnb, blaming them for driving up housing costs and pushing out locals.
Tensions Over Tourism Are Reaching Boiling Point
What started as frustrations over pay for hotel workers has now merged with wider public anger over tourism’s toll on the islands.
British tourists—often referred to as “guiris” in local slang—are at the center of a cultural and economic clash that’s only getting more intense.
Placards at recent protests didn’t mince words: “Rich foreign property buyers go to hell,” read one. Another simply said, “Enough is enough.”
What This Means for Your Holiday
If you’re planning a trip to the Balearic Islands in July, it’s worth keeping an eye on the situation.
With both workers and residents increasingly vocal about their concerns, this summer may come with a few more disruptions than just long airport lines.
Whether you’re headed to the beaches of Ibiza or the historic streets of Palma, you might want to double-check your hotel’s policy—and pack a little extra patience.