Valencia metro strike throughout Fallas week
Friday, March 10, 2017 @ 4:14 PM
A STRIKE is set to hit Valencia's metro right where it most hurts: during the week of the city's huge trademark fiesta, the Fallas.
Valencia effectively stops for a week during Fallas, which finish on the night of March 19 when the papier mÂché statues satirising current affairs are burnt down, although the reverse happens in the hotel and catering trade where business-owners make a killing.
Tourists travel from every continent to see the spectacular and colourful festival and, even though the Fallas are celebrated in many other towns in the region, the main version in Valencia is arguably superior and local residents make a pilgrimage to the city every mid-March.
This means all Valencia's rail services are packed out and in high demand, so disruption to metro travel will be huge and lead to chaos during Fallas week.
A driver shortage, meaning insufficient rest breaks and even trains stopped mid-track because drivers' shifts had finished, and trains delayed or cancelled due to sick leave, combined with general working conditions are behind the decision to strike.
Read more at thinkSPAIN.com