Strike paralyzes Palma's citizen offices — only emergency service at Plaça de Cort

Emergency service only: citizen offices in Palma largely closed

Anyone who goes to the Oficina de Atención a la Ciudadanía (OAC) at Plaça de Cort this morning will find the doors open – all other municipal service points in Palma are largely closed. A strike by staff has disrupted appointments and is visibly affecting the city: empty offices, a queue in front of the town hall and frustrated people turning back with completed forms in their hands.

Internally, only a minimum service has been guaranteed. The citizen hotline 010 is also operating at reduced capacity: according to reports, only four employees are on duty today, split into two shifts. For many callers this means long waiting times or being unable to get through at all.

What's at issue

Employees are mainly raising three points: a lack of training opportunities, outdated IT systems and insufficient succession arrangements for longer-term illnesses. The discontent runs deep, several staff members say, preferring to remain anonymous. They report overcrowded counters during the high season, stressful workflows and the constant need to improvise.

Negotiations on better working conditions and service improvements apparently failed to reach an agreement after more than a year. As a result, most teams are striking today to put pressure on the administration.

What residents should know now

If you have an appointment today: please check your e‑mails or SMS again to see whether the city has rescheduled it. Many requests, such as address changes, the issuance of registration certificates or citizen cards, can partly be handled via the Palma e-office — provided the systems are accessible. Otherwise: be patient or request a new appointment as soon as the offices reopen normally.

A small, personal tip: anyone coming to Plaça de Cort today should dress for the weather. It is chilly and a cold wind often blows in from the harbour — and nobody wants to freeze while waiting in line.

The city administration has announced it will provide updates on the further course of the strike. Many residents remain hopeful that a solution will be found in the coming days to improve both services and working conditions.