Dozens of construction workers gathered outside Spotify Camp Nou on Tuesday to protest the firing of nearly 50 colleagues involved in the ongoing stadium renovation. Many of the employees affected are reportedly in an “irregular administrative situation,” according to the union Comisiones Obreras (CCOO), which organized the demonstration.
“They’ve been working twelve hours a day, seven days a week, for over a year in some cases,” said Carlos del Barrio, head of Union Action for CCOO del Hábitat in Catalonia. He added that the workers “don’t have legal papers” and are being dismissed “with the intention of forcing them to return to their country of origin … the moment they set foot on Turkish soil, their ability to defend themselves will be severely limited.”
The union is demanding that the affected employees be properly registered, that unpaid or irregular wages are paid on a consistent basis, and that the Spanish government activate “the mechanism within the immigration regulations that allows for extraordinary regularization in cases of collaboration with labor authorities.”
Barcelona’s response to the protest has been minimal according to the CCOO. The union has already reported the matter to the Labor Inspectorate. Del Barrio acknowledged the pressure the club faces to open the renovated stadium but stressed that “this cannot come at the expense of workers’ rights.”
Barcelona’s return to Camp Nou is finally approaching after more than two-and-a-half years away. The team last played at the stadium in May 2023 and has been using the Olympic Stadium in Montjuic as a temporary home. Constant delays pushed the reopening back multiple times, but the club has now scheduled an open training session this Friday, allowing 23,000 fans to see the stadium in use despite it remaining under construction.
The first official match back at Camp Nou is expected on November 22 against Athletic Bilbao, following Barcelona’s recent 3-1 win over Elche, which could mark their final La Liga game in Montjuic. The club hopes to secure authorization from local authorities to allow 45,000 spectators for the reopening match, while UEFA Champions League fixtures may continue at the Olympic Stadium until January.
