In order to advance the general strikes that will be called in the future in the Basque Country for some reason or another, it would be good to analyze what has been done so far. The last of these is the call of nationalist trade unionism and the CCOO, among others, against labor reform. The call for a general strike implies the involvement of all sectors, not only of the labor sector – private and public – and must stop the daily life of the population. The E-29 was remarkable, but different, and above all, except in small towns, it did not stop the daily life of the population. The messages were limited to the labor consequences of the reform, not to the consequences that all this will bring to families, pensioners, education, commerce, bars and neighborhoods. Those who went on strike were mainly industrial. First lesson: the messages must be defined, disseminated and generalized in the labor sector, in society, in families and among pensioners.

When it comes to assessing strikes, including the E29, the Board of Trustees, the Administration and the unions offer very different data: some refer to “total failure” (Trustees) or insufficient influence (Administration) and others say that success (unions) has been achieved. Probably none of the three have told the whole truth. Each side defends its own interests. The second lesson: It is important to be true to the truth. Nothing is achieved by restricting, inflating or manipulating the continuation of the strike. In every town and in every company, they know what the real answer has been.

It does not seem reasonable for the unions to respond separately to the serious attack that capitalism has brought together. It is a scandal that there are two calls for strikes on the same day and one for mobilisation on the following day. The third lesson is that trade unions must unite actions over selfish interests.