Malaga workers kick off first day of Plaza Mayor strike against shops staying open until midnight: 'We don't want this to set a precedent'

Many shops closed at their usual 10pm finish, while others pulled down their shutters as a picket of more than 100 workers passed through the retail park.

A significant number of businesses chose not to take part in the 'Late Night Shopping' initiative.

More than 100 striking workers marched through the shopping centre and, as they passed, customers left several shops and shopkeepers pulled down their shutters. Some of the closures involved major high-street brands, prompting loud applause from the demonstrators.

Outside one such shop, general secretary of the CCOO union in Malaga Fernando Cubillo stated: "Tourists should discover Malaga's cultural traditions, not be shopping for a T-shirt at 11pm at night."

From 9pm, the sound of horns, chanting, music and smoke flares from Plaza Mayor and neighbouring McArthurGlen Designer Outlet echoed across the roads leading into the retail complex. The demonstrators gathered outside the centres and at times threatened to block the access roads.

Among them was Ayoze Curbelo, CCOO Malaga's retail sector secretary, who expressed satisfaction with the turnout. "People are often afraid to strike, so we've spent a lot of time explaining their rights and encouraging them to exercise them. Personally, I'm very pleased with the response."

Curbelo said that management introduced the midnight opening without consulting staff, damaging workers' work-life balance, creating transport problems late at night and impacting both their physical and mental well-being.

He also pointed out that earlier this week the city council had approved a motion tabled by the left-wing Con Málaga group calling on Plaza Mayor to scrap the midnight opening unless management reached an agreement with workers.

Con Málaga councillor Toni Morillas also attended the protest. "This is exactly what politics is for: standing up for working people, both in their neighbourhoods and in their workplaces. Everyone on the council except Vox backed our position and that also puts pressure on the company."

Curbelo fears that the two midnight openings planned for 2026 could be only the beginning, with more late-night trading dates added in future years.

Leonor Gálvez, secretary of UGT's retail section, voiced similar concerns. She warned that other shopping centres could follow Plaza Mayor's example, turning the initiative into a precedent.

"That would put even more pressure on retailers, on workers and on their ability to balance work and family life. Around 30,000 people work in this sector in Malaga," she said.

Workers from one major retail chain expressed the same worries.

"They tell us it's only two nights this year, then four next year and after that, who knows? They won't put anything in writing. We close at midnight, but then we still have to tidy up until half past twelve. How am I supposed to get home if I don't have a car?"

Shortly after 11pm and after the pickets had moved through the shopping centre, Plaza Mayor was almost empty.

CCOO estimated that 99 per cent of shops at Plaza Mayor had ultimately closed, while 85 per cent of employees joined the strike. At neighbouring McArthurGlen, meanwhile, pickets were still persuading shops to close well after 11.30pm.

Read dedicated local reporting for Malaga city