SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 23 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The spokesperson for Employment of the Socialist Parliamentary Group, Gustavo Santana, has today accused the Government of the Canary Islands Coalition (CC) and the Popular Party (PP), as well as the political groups supporting them, ASG and AHI, for dismissing a motion by the Socialist Group in the Plenary Session of the regional Chamber aiming to boost salaries in the Canary Islands. Consequently, they have refused to convene the Canary Islands Council of Labour Relations.
Santana addressed the rejection of the motion by the Socialist Group concerning the objectives proposed by the Canarian Government to implement measures to enhance salaries in the Canary Islands. He urged for the urgent convocation of the Canarian Council of Labour Relations to encourage employers and unions to reach an agreement that benefits all workers in the islands. “We question if this is the Canarian Government’s idea of promoting salary increases when it encouraged employers in the islands to raise them,” Santana commented.
In addition, the socialist deputy criticised the Canarian Government for approving a resolution during the State of the Nation Debate, with the support of ASG and AHI parliamentary groups, to enhance working conditions and salaries in the tourism sector, a resolution that remains unexecuted. Santana reiterated the wage emergency in the Canary Islands, as it is the region with the lowest salaries in the country. Thus, there are no more justifications to delay improvements in employment and wages for all workers, beyond those in the tourism sector.
Furthermore, he clarified that the Socialist Group’s proposal rejected on Tuesday in the Plenary, established that, at the very least, the agreement should include a salary increase equal to or higher than the national level agreement between employers and unions, which stipulated a three-year salary increment that has not been implemented in the Canary Islands.
This agreement was also intended to introduce a new structure for collective bargaining in the Canary Islands, supporting regional agreements to eliminate discrepancies in working conditions across the islands based on the province of residence.
The Socialist Group deems the salary situation in the Canary Islands as an “emergency” demanding Government involvement, rather than mere statements by the President urging employers to raise salaries without leading an effective process through the autonomous community’s powers. Salaries in the Canary Islands rank as the second lowest nationwide.
“AN INITIAL STEP”
The CCOO Services Federation in the Canary Islands also expressed regret over the rejection of the motion presented by the Canarian Socialist Group. The union believes that the proposed motion was inadequate to improve the situation of families in the service sector, as it wouldn’t reverse the declining purchasing power experienced by workers in the past five years, yet it could have served as a significant initial step, if not the ultimate one.
According to Comisiones Obreras, the negative vote from parliamentary groups hampers the opportunity for the Canarian Government to take action on the salary matter, encourage employers to enhance wages, and establish a new collective bargaining framework based on regional agreements.
The CCOO Canarias Federation of Services highlighted that this measure would directly impact the hospitality and retail sector, ensuring equal pay for all staff across the Canary Islands regardless of their actual workplace island. This would put an end to debates regarding provincial salary discrepancies, allowing workers to move between provinces without affecting their earnings.
The Services Federation once again urges parliamentarians to familiarise themselves with the reality faced by workers, emphasising that the decision to raise salaries by 4% affects all workers in the Canary Islands, with a significant difference amounting to over thirty thousand Euros annually.
The union criticised, “It is irresponsible to collectively agree on raising their own salaries and yet fail to push for a salary increment for Canarian workers. Residents in the Canary Islands are struggling each month to manage housing, living costs, and expenses, compelling them to make financial adjustments to survive until mid-month.”
