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Drivers planning to hit the open road on the May bank holiday weekend can breathe a little easier as the petrol station strikes planned for April 30 and May 3 have been called off.

 

The unions and employers reached a preliminary agreement in collective bargaining negotiations, with unions describing it as a deal that "unblocks the conflict."

 

The agreement, reached through Spain's Interconfederal Mediation and Arbitration Service, covers a three-year period and includes a total pay increase of 6.4%, broken down as 3.4% in 2025, 2% in 2026 and 1% in 2027, all backdated to January 1 of each respective year.

 

There's also a built-in safety net for workers, with a clause guaranteeing that pay in 2026 and 2027 will be reviewed against the actual Consumer Price Index, with rises of up to 6% possible annually if inflation demands it, and crucially, no possibility of wages being revised downward.

 

Working hours will also be reduced across the full duration of the agreement.

 

On top of the pay figures, a number of additional benefits are being improved. The holiday bonus will increase by €2 from 2026, the distance allowance will reach €0.13 by 2027, the currency shortage allowance will rise to €667 annually in 2026 and 2027, and the cleaning bonus will have a guaranteed minimum of €30.

 

The deal also brings improvements to early retirement rules, allowing workers to access retirement up to a month before the standard age, and strengthens job protections by requiring that employees are given a formal hearing of up to five working days before any dismissal can take place.

 

Unions called it "a resounding step forward" that demonstrates how combining negotiation with the threat of industrial action can deliver real results for workers. The two sides have committed to finalising the full written agreement within 30 days.