New Agreement Secures Rights for Tenerife’s Performing Artists

For the past few months, artists performing in tourist establishments, primarily hotels, have had an agreement that safeguards their activities, albeit currently only in the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. This is a significant milestone that guarantees the labour rights of approximately 2,000 artists in the province, with the aim of extending this labour protection throughout the community.

Pioneering Collective Agreement

This first experience of a collective agreement within the sector is still in its infancy. The Official Bulletin of the Province published the document on 6th June, and discussions are ongoing to clarify issues and advise artists who are working in the hospitality sector for the first time, ensuring their activities are protected by regulation established through consensus between industry employers and unions UGT and Comisiones.

Aim to Combat Insecurity

“We have moved from prehistoric times to having a regulated sector. Now there is at least a rule to consult when attempting to create ambiguity around work-related actions, which is no longer acceptable,” states Vicente José García Brito, head of culture for FeSMC UGT-Canarias. He believes this measure helps to eliminate the precariousness that affects practitioners in the profession. This precariousness often starts with salaries “that do not come close to what a reference agreement, such as those for dance and party halls, would provide,” along with permissions and other labour rights that “enhance the worker’s quality of life.”

Improvements under the Agreement

With the new agreement, artists are entitled to a salary increase linked to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) plus an additional 0.25%. It also addresses crucial aspects such as remuneration, working hours, breaks, bonuses, holidays, and professional categories.

Addressing Concerns

This Thursday, the Association of Artistic Agents of Tenerife, alongside the unions Comisiones Obreras and UGT, organised a congress to clarify any doubts artists may have regarding this new regulation. “As this is the first collective agreement, many are unfamiliar with the terminology,” García Brito explains. Therefore, they are endeavouring to educate artists in a sector that he describes as “illiterate” when it comes to labour rights.

Future Developments

Moreover, the unions have now turned their attention to the eastern province to facilitate its own agreement. García Brito notes they are already “preparing initial steps” to invite the employers’ association of Las Palmas to either negotiate or adopt the agreement from the western province. Ultimately, he emphasises that the intention is to achieve a regional agreement by 2026 that unites all artists under a single legal framework.