SPAIN: The 37.5-hour Workweek & more – 24th Dec 2024

Buenos días from Gracia! This is the Rorshok Spain Update from the 24th of December twenty twenty-four. A quick summary of what's going down in Spain.

Kicking off, on Friday, the 20th, the government, along with Spain’s major unions, the UGT and CCOO, agreed to cut the official workweek to 37.5 hours from forty, with no pay reduction.

Yolanda Díaz, Spain’s labor minister, called the measure historic and said that it would benefit twelve million workers. However, the agreement has not yet been made official in law, and as it stands is just a promise between the government and the unions.

The new legislation should come into full effect by the end of twenty twenty-five and will require companies to strictly track their employees' hours. Companies that don’t follow the new rules could face fines of over 10,000 euros per worker.

Keeping with the government, in January next year, Spain will introduce a new rent control index to curb disproportionate rent increases, replacing the current 3% annual cap set in twenty twenty.

Going forward, the National Institute of Statistics will calculate the index monthly, factoring in average rental prices and long-term trends.

The government says it wants to shield tenants from sharp hikes while ensuring transparency for landlords. Final details are due by the 31st of December, but housing experts say this is a critical step toward stabilizing Spain’s rental market.

Between twenty fourteen and twenty twenty-three, Spain lost an average of eight winter days, that is, eight days on which the lowest recorded temperature was above freezing.

According to the non-profit research group Climate Central, León in the northwest, Palencia in the north, Soria in the northeast, and La Rioja in the central region, were the most affected provinces in Spain.

Climate Central says that fossil fuel damage has contributed to the average of eight warmer days a year.

Globally, northern Europe faced the worst impacts, with Denmark, Latvia, and Lithuania losing over three weeks of winter days. Researchers emphasized the need for urgent adaptation, warning that twenty twenty-four will close as the warmest year ever recorded.

Over to Valencia, where on Sunday, the 22nd, King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, and their daughters, Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofía, made a surprise visit to Catarroja, a town heavily impacted by the flooding in October — which we reported in previous shows.

The family toured the town and its recently restored municipal market, before visiting the Albufera, a natural area also affected by the disaster.

Lorena Silvent, Catarroja’s mayor, expressed gratitude for the visit but noted that the royals only saw the rebuilt parts of the town, highlighting ongoing recovery efforts and the poor situation post-flood.

Now, social media stunts. Spanish pediatricians have raised concerns over the Superman Challenge, a risky TikTok trend causing injuries among teens.

The challenge involves teenagers being thrown into the air to mimic superhero poses, sometimes leading to severe harm. Last week, three students from Pablo Neruda Secondary School in Huelva, in the south, got hurt attempting the stunt.

The Spanish Society of Paediatric Emergencies has since reported cases in Andalucía in the south, the Basque Country in the north, and Catalunya with injuries including fractures and concussions.

While TikTok trends are usually lighthearted, this superhero trend has also caused incidents in France and Israel as well.

Let’s talk tolls. The European Commission has given Spain two months, starting this December, to implement a road toll system or face legal action.

The ultimatum follows Spain’s twenty eighteen decision under President Pedro Sánchez to end motorway tolls, including the busy AP-7 route on Spain’s east coast. While this benefited drivers, the EU says Spain violated rules requiring toll systems with pollution charges to reduce CO2 emissions.

Spain proposed alternatives like shifting freight to rail and promoting cleaner transport, but these plans remain unapproved. If no action is taken, Spain risks EU Court of Justice penalties and potential cuts to recovery funds.

From fines to fortunate technology! A Google Maps photo captured in October twenty twenty-four in Tajueco, in Castile and León, north Spain, has helped police arrest two suspects connected to the disappearance of a Cuban man.

The image shows a man loading a bulky white sack into the boot of a red car — a photo that a Google Street View car captured while conducting its scheduled route to map Tajuecos roads.

The Cuban national went missing in November last year after moving to Spain to track down a woman he believed to be his current partner, who had gone missing. Relatives grew suspicious after receiving unusual texts from his phone, prompting a police report. Last month, police arrested the man’s former partner and her alleged accomplice.

Feeling lucky this year! Let’s start things off with El Gordo, a nickname for Spain’s famous Christmas lottery prize, which this year included total winnings of over 2.8 billion euros.

The lottery draw, which is a much-anticipated event across the country, was held on Sunday, the 22nd. Several citizens from across Spain checked out with the winning ticket, taking home up to 400,000 euros each.

The lottery dates back to eighteen twelve and draws nationwide excitement as families and co-workers purchase tickets in groups or décimos.

France has its Champagne, Britain has its cider, but for Spain, one of its signature alcohols is in short supply.

Cava sales have dropped sharply this year due to severe droughts over the past three years that impacted vineyards in Catalunya, where most cava is produced.

Global sales fell around 12% from January to September compared to the same period in twenty twenty-two, with international sales dropping nearly 16%. Germany, traditionally cava's largest market, saw around a 50% decrease, largely due to reduced supplies from Freixenet, the world’s largest cava producer.

Sales in Britain also fell 15%, as Italian Prosecco gained popularity. Despite these setbacks, demand did actually rise in Sweden, Japan, and the Netherlands.

In interesting news, on Monday, the 23rd, the Russian cargo ship Ursa Major sank in the Mediterranean Sea near the south coast of Spain after an explosion in its engine room.

The ship, reportedly part of a mission to evacuate Russian personnel and equipment from Syria, departed St. Petersburg on the 11th of December and was en route to Vladivostok.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the incident on Tuesday the 24th and reported that fourteen crew members were rescued near Cartagena, Murcia, in the south while two remain missing.

Though the captain said the ship carried empty containers, analysts suggest it was linked to evacuating military assets, saying there could have been sabotage. However, this is still speculation at this point.

Catholicism in Spain has seen a steep decline in the last ten years, with only 19% of the population identifying as practicing Catholics in twenty twenty-three, compared to 56% in nineteen seventy-nine.

Despite this trend, the tradition of creating Nativity scenes, or belenes, remains deeply embedded in Spanish culture. This year, places like Gran Canaria, just off the northwest coast of Africa, and Xàtiva, near Valencia, unveiled large-scale displays.

Enthusiasts across the country crafted intricate miniature dioramas with advanced features like LED lighting and flowing streams.

Next up, Aciera, a village of just thirty-seven residents in Asturias, in the north, has become a Christmas sensation with a dazzling display of lights that rivals Vigo’s famous festive decorations in Galicia, northwest.

The Canor Fandos neighborhood association started the tradition fifteen years ago and involves only local effort, with retired members dedicating weeks to the setup. The lights inauguration, held during Constitution Day weekend in early December, included music, carols, and a Christmas basket raffle.

Tourism has surged, with visitors flocking to admire the decorations and explore a signposted route around the village.

Finally, if you live in Spain and are confused about what’s open around the Christmas period, we’ve got you. In Spain, Christmas Day, Wednesday the 25th, is the primary public holiday, with most businesses, supermarkets, and offices closed.

Thursday, the 26th, however, is only a holiday in Catalunya and Palma de Mallorca, where many establishments will remain closed.

This year, while Tuesday the 24th of December is a regular working day, most businesses will typically close early for family celebrations. Supermarkets, such as major chain Mercadona, will close on the 25th of December until the 1st of January with reduced hours on the 24th and the 31st of December.

Aaand that’s it for this week! Thank you for joining us!

We wanted to take the time to thank everyone for tuning in, subscribing, and sharing your thoughts with us. Your support means the world, and we’re so grateful to be building this incredible community together. Wishing you a joyful, warm, and wonderful holiday season.

¡Hasta la próxima!