In the first three months of 2026, workers across several EU member states took to the streets and picket lines in numbers not seen in decades. According to data compiled by Strike Tracker, the Portuguese Directorate-General for Employment and Industrial Relations (DGERT), and the Italian CGSSE, Portugal led the bloc with 234 strikes, followed by Italy (190), Spain (108), and France (105). These figures cover only seven EU countries for which comparable data exist, but they paint a clear picture of where labour unrest is most intense.
The sectors most affected were transport, education, healthcare, and public administration. In Italy, for instance, local police personnel announced a nationwide strike on 12 June to demand better working conditions after several officers were hospitalised following assaults while on duty, according to union representatives. Portugal saw its second nationwide strike in six months last week, this time against a new labour package introduced by the centre-right government.
Strike hotspots and quiet corners
At the other end of the spectrum, the Netherlands recorded only about seven strikes in the same period, making it the least strike-prone among the countries surveyed. Germany, the Netherlands, and Austria have historically seen less industrial action than their southern and western neighbours, a pattern that holds in the latest data.
Preliminary estimates from the European Trade Union Institute suggest that 2025 could become a record year for strikes across the EU since 1991. Between 2020 and 2024, Finland, Belgium, and France were the countries where workers went on strike most frequently. While data on industrial action remains fragmented and scarce, the primary driver of major strikes in 2024 was wages failing to keep pace with the rising cost of living due to inflation.
Union membership in decline
The broader context for these strikes is a long-term decline in unionisation. According to the OECD, the share of workers who are union members has halved since 1985, falling from 30% to 15% between 2023 and 2024. Belgium is a notable exception, bucking the trend with stable or rising membership. Across 28 OECD countries, 14.3% of women in employment were unionised in 2024, compared to 15% of men. Unionisation remains much stronger in the public sector, where 41.3% of employees are members, versus just 10.1% in the private sector.
These figures underscore a paradox: even as union density shrinks, strike activity is rising. This suggests that workers are turning to collective action not because of union strength, but out of frustration with stagnant wages and deteriorating conditions. The data from early 2026 indicates that the trend is accelerating, with Portugal, Italy, Spain, and France at the forefront.
For a broader perspective on how labour disputes intersect with global events, see our coverage of US and Iran Trade Strikes as EU Rolls Out New Sanctions on Russia. Meanwhile, the economic impact of major events can be significant, as highlighted in 2026 World Cup Could Boost Portugal's Economy by Nearly €1 Billion, Study Finds.
