On 23 February 2011 FIAOUGT and FSC-CCOO union workers across Spanish paper mills went on strike over pay.

It is unclear how the strike will affect the UK print and paper industry, with no major impact reported as a result of the previous strike.

The unions, which both reported almost a 100% attendance at last month's strike, claimed that the second strike could be avoided if the paper employers’ association (Aspapel) made "major revisions to its one-sided 2010-2012 bargaining agenda".

Anger has grown among Spanish paper workers over Aspapel’s apparent unwillingness to compromise on issues including flexibility changes and revisions to wage structures.

According to the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions, which is an affiliate of both affected unions, the dispute is not over actual salaries.

It stated: "The two sides are close on that (salaries), it is the imposing of adverse salary structures that, in effect, place the burden of a slumping Spanish economy, in part, on paper workers."