Trade Unions are part and parcel of social progress. The pandemic and climate change act as a wake-up call for the necessary transformation to a future-proof economy. It needs to be managed with a comprehensive political-economic dialogue in a functioning social partnership. Employees and trade unions play a pivotal role on the way to a sustainable economy. Where do they stand? This FES Madrid Paper analyzes the Spanish trade unions and their current situation from a historical-political perspective and outlines their structural problems, successes and challenges.