Workers’ Commissions, UGT, Intersindical Canaria and the Regional Platform of Relatives of Users of Socio-Sanitary Centers coincide in regretting that the managing director of the Home Santa Rita, Thomas Villar“castles into office” and refuses the entry of the Council of Tenerife in the patronage that directs the foundation that attends to 481 dependents with a staff of 430 workers.
The person in charge of the Unit of the Federation of Workers Commission Services, alexis rodriguez, insists that Villar «is disqualified as an interlocutor because he has decided to become a problem, since it is impossible to negotiate anything with him. He does not accept that the situation in the sector has changed and insists with the excuse of protecting Father Antonio’s legacy, which at this point cannot be an argument».
The CCOO does consider that there is a possibility that the Home Santa Rita, with 710 authorized beds, can be sectored and divided into at least six independent residences. Nevertheless, alexis rodriguez insists that this change of model must be done hand in hand with the Works council and the public administrations involved. “It has nothing to do with the model of residence that founded the Father Anthony in the 90s of the 20th century with the Home Santa Rita current, which has concerted more than half of the places occupied and which receives about 456,000 euros of public funds every month, “Rodríguez emphasizes.
«From Villar’s words it seems to be understood that any change of model or representation in the board of trustees depends solely on his personal decision. And we believe that all parties should have already sat down to find a solution to the current situation, ” concludes the CCOO representative.
The general secretary of the Federation of Public Services of the UGT in Tenerife, Juan Carlos Vinassays that “it would be a guarantee that the public administrations would join the board of trustees that runs the Hogar Santa Rita”, currently made up of nine people, among whom is the Thomas Villar and the president of the Foundation, Roque Silva. “No one denies the work that Father Antonio did, but these are other times and we have to adapt,” he emphasizes.
Juan Carlos Vinas He also wonders “how can you boast of financial solvency and in April have your workers without pay until the 13th?”, and insists that “there is a brutal workload that is not new, but has lasted for years.” From CCOO it is insisted that the solvency argument does not match the delay in payroll payment and that “the problem of worker ratios is not in global numbers, but in direct attention to users”.
The legal adviser of Intersindical Canaria Fran Baute insists that “the management of Santa Rita must be democratized to put an end to obscurantism and lack of transparency.” In his opinion, “Villar is entrenched in his position and even vetoes the entry of the Cabildo and the Company Committee in the management body of the center, which is a deprivation of rights.” According to Baute, “we are not overly surprised by his position, but we do not understand it and we will take the necessary legal action to reverse the situation.”
The spokesperson for the Regional Platform of Family Members and Users of Social and Health Centers, Eugenia Pazunderstands that Tomás Villar’s words in his interview with EL DÍA “are from another century and show that the model has to change, so we have to join the voices that have asked him to resign.”
“The Home Santa Rita It cannot be conceived as a totally private residence, since it receives a large amount of public funds that are paid for with the taxes of all the Canary Islands. Mr. Villar cannot run Santa Rita as if he were still working at the International Hotel. We are not in 1991 but in the 21st century and there are rules, services and rights that go beyond the anachronistic conception of Thomas Villar», sentence Paiz.
