Spanish rail workers have announced a two-day strike over two of the busiest days of the year as millions of travelers begin their summer holidays.

The strike has been called by train and railway infrastructure workers in protest at what unions see as a lack of personnel. All unions with the exception of the Union General de Trabajadores (UGT) have given their support to the action which affects both high-speed AVE, local and regional trains.

The strike begins on July 31 and ends on August 1, which is precisely when many Spaniards will be either starting or ending their summer vacations and as such are two of the busiest days of the year on the railway network.

The Spanish Public Works Ministry announced minimum services of 77 percent on the AVE high-speed trains, 65 percent service on regional trains, 50 percent service on local trains, and 75 percent service during morning and evening rush hours.

Meanwhile 20.68 percent of workers at ADIF, the company which looks after the railway infrastructure, will work in order to “ensure the general interest of citizens and their mobility needs are protected along with the workers’ right to strike.”

Bus companies have said they will react to the strikes by providing extra services in order to “guarantee the right to mobility,” while RENFE promise that anyone who has a ticket for a train which is to be affected by the strike can either get a full refund or be able to exchange their ticket for a different train. Endit

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