Portugal, Italy Lead EU Countries in First-Quarter Strikes

Portugal, Italy, Spain, and France recorded the highest numbers of strikes among seven EU countries in the first quarter of 2026. Portugal reported 234 strikes, Italy 190, Spain 108, and France 105, according to data compiled by Strike Tracker, Portugal's Directorate-General for Employment and Industrial Relations, and Italy's CGSSE.

The strikes primarily affected transport, education, healthcare, and public administration sectors.

12 June, police personnel and services in Italy announced a nationwide strike over working conditions. Several officers had been hospitalized after assaults while on duty, union representatives stated. Last week, Portugal held its second nationwide strike in six months against a new labor package introduced by the center-right government.

The Netherlands recorded about seven strikes during the same period, the lowest among the countries tracked.

Union membership across 28 OECD countries fell from 30 percent in 1985 to 15 percent in 2024. Public-sector unionization stood at 41.3 percent compared with 10.1 percent in the private sector. Coverage by collective agreements has also declined over the past 30 years, particularly in Central and Eastern European countries.

Wages that failed to keep pace with inflation were the most common driver of larger strikes between 2020 and 2024.