Reserve public land to build homes for workers in the tourism sector and that cannot be used as vacation homes It is one of the proposals that emerged this Monday during the meeting between the mayor of Arona, Fátima Lemes, and the Councilor for Tourism, Dácil León, with Juan Pablo Gonzalezmanager of Ashotel, and Manuel Fitas, general secretary of the Base Trade Unionists of Canary Islands (SBC). The meeting was intended address the problem of access to housing for those working in the tourism sector. To achieve this goal, they have already made “positive” contacts with construction companies.
In addition to assessing that this problem influences the competitiveness and proper functioning of the sector, Fátima Lemes showed her concern about the situation. The search for solutions is aimed “not only at the workers who come to the municipality, but also at the residents who need housing.” The mayor of Arona announced that this “will be one of the points that we will address in the next meeting that we will hold with the Government of the Canary Islands and the Cabildo of Tenerife. “It is necessary that all administrations collaborate in the search for a solution.”
Dácil León, Councilor for Tourism, Economic Promotion, Primary Sector and Employmentpointed out that the Urban Planning and Tourism areas of the Arona City Council “are working to address solutions, within municipal powers.”
Juan Pablo González, manager of the Hotel and Non-Hotel Association of Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro (Ashotel), explained that this is a problem that affects the coverage of job offers in the area. Along these lines, he maintained that workers from other parts of the Island do not find accommodation in this environment, which makes it difficult for them to access a job in the hotel and restaurant sector in the south of Tenerife.
He increase in holiday homes in tourist areas It has caused an increase in rental prices and this makes it difficult for many workers to find decent housing close to their jobs and thus avoid traveling. This situation has an impact on the coverage of jobs since it causes the labor supply to not be covered. This aspect was also put on the table.
The consequences of all this result in a high rate of absenteeism from work due to illness, the result of stress and anxiety about covering shifts due to the shortage of workers.
For his part, Manuel Fitas, general secretary of the Canary Islands Grassroots Unions (SBC), highlighted that The working hours, in the majority of hotels where the workload is concentrated in breakfasts and dinners, force a split shift, which is unviable for the worker who has not found housing and must travel. Javier Fernández, action secretary of the union, raised the importance of considering the use of empty housing that currently exists as a measure to be taken into account. The same with respect to the stock of empty homes and the constructions started and paralyzed that can be completed so that they can be used for regulated housing intended for social rental.
