After the high speed train crash in Cordoba, involving a state-operated Renfe train and a privately-owned Iryo train - and the crash of a commuter train in Barcelona two days later - Spain's train drivers' union, SEMAF, has called a 48-hour national rail strike, which could be made indefinite if their demands aren't met.

    The two union federations, the UGT and CCOO, will also strike. In fact, maintenance crews at the two crash sites have already stopped work until their safety concerns are addressed. SEMAF said "We are going to demand criminal liability from those responsible for ensuring safety in the railway infrastructure", pointing to "the constant deterioration of the rail network".

    SEMAF has repeatedly warned Adif, the state-owned infrastructure company about the bad condition of the track. Last August it again pointed to severe wear and tear on the exact same stretch where the two high speed trains crashed. But the track was not re-inspected. It says potholes, bumps, and problems with overhead power lines are rife.

    The union proposed a speed reduction. It pointed to the huge increase in the number of high speed trains, thanks entirely to privatisation (so-called "liberalisation"), now running on the Malaga-Madrid track - an increase of 55% above the 2019 pre-privatisation baseline. This inevitably meant a dangerous increase in track-damage.

    But Adif did not institute more frequent track checks. These were still done once-yearly even after traffic grew. Yet Adif's own 2025 safety action plan warned that "high stress joints should be inspected more frequently when traffic exceeds design baselines". A pilot to inspect 6-monthly has only just been approved. Too late for the many passengers and 3 train drivers who are now dead.

    It's obvious that not one of European states, nor any others - has learnt any lessons whatsoever from the disastrous consequences of privatisation, proven by its failure in Britain.

    That said, safety can and will never be guaranteed until the rail workforce controls all operations and the working class owns them - under a system that has abolished the profit motive. We should all be on strike, to make that happen.