SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 13 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Minister of Economy and Employment of the Government of the Canary Islands, Elena Máñez, reported this Tuesday that the Labor Inspection has carried out 10,775 actions so far this year in tourism, 26% of the total, which has generated, among other things, that 1,641 contracts have been transformed into indefinite ones and 1,513 jobs emerge.
In an appearance before the plenary session of the Parliament, he pointed out that “it is very important” the work of the labor inspection to detect irregularities in the labor sphere, a department that this year will also have reinforcements.
He has indicated that tourism “has a lot to contribute” to the economy and diversification of the islands, a position that has been confronted with that of the Sí Podemos deputy, Francisco Déniz, who has warned of the “side b” of the subsector due to his condition to the territory and job insecurity.
Along these lines, he pointed out that work is being done to achieve “more sustainable tourism” and that it can be a “leader” in artificial intelligence to position the Canary Islands as a spearhead in innovation.
He commented that according to Istac there are 19 tourist municipalities in the archipelago, of which nine have the highest incomes in the Canary Islands, which is why he stressed that “it cannot be extrapolated” that tourism generates precariousness and poverty among the population.
Máñez has insisted that tourism “is the main engine” of the Canarian economy and with a great “drag effect” on other sectors, as the pandemic demonstrated, and in fact, he has indicated that with the lifting of the restrictions, resume the path of growth, giving as an example that 45% of all contracts signed in August correspond to tourism.
It has valued the increase in the minimum wage to 1,000 euros, to help improve working conditions in the subsector and better deal with inflation, the labor reform that is committed to permanent contracts, ERTEs and the bonus for land transport.
Francisco Déniz, from Sí Podemos, has pointed out that the employment generated by tourism in the Canary Islands is of “very low quality”, precarious and temporary, and wonders if tourism generates so much economic development why the unemployment rate on the islands does not fall of 20%.
He has commented that tourism has “a b-side” and sees a “humiliation” for the Canary Islands that it is recognized that there is no alternative to mass tourism.
YES WE CAN CRITICIZE RENTALS IN TOURIST AREAS
He has warned that an outsourced floor cleaner charges 1.92 euros per room and the number has gone from 17 or 19 to 25 per day and the salary in tourist areas “does not spread” because housing prices “are very expensive”.
Déniz commented that there are “environmental problems”, as evidenced by the closure of the Candelaria beaches due to microalgae, and stressed that tourism “expels” Canarians from tourist areas due to “gentrification”.
Ricardo Fernández (Cs) has rejected that tourism generates low-quality employment since everything is stipulated in the hospitality agreements negotiated by employers and unions, where the discontinuous fixed figure already worked.
Regarding the increase in rent in tourist areas, he has linked it to vacation rentals, something “totally legal” because many are small savers, and to the lack of public housing due to the lack of construction in recent years.
It has censored that Sí Podemos defends “tourism phobia” and tries to kick digital nomads off the islands.
Jesús Ramos (ASG) has asked himself “what would the Canary Islands be if there were no tourism, another thing is that labor rights are fulfilled, for which he has asked for more inspections, without forgetting the low structural salaries that exist on the islands.
He has said that we must “lay the foundations” for a more sustainable and higher quality tourism and that the sector should not be “demonized”.
Luis Campos, spokesman for NC-bc, has ruled out “demonizing” tourism for its contribution to the economy of the archipelago, although he has made it clear that there cannot be “worship” of tourism above all else “and at any cost.”
NC-bc, AGAINST “STORN EARTH” TOURISM
He has lamented the “scorched earth” tourism that occupies the entire territory and seeks “the more beds the better” recalling that at the time of the presidency of Román Rodríguez (1999-2003) more than 400,000 beds were paralyzed.
He has recognized that there is “precariousness” in tourism and that it cannot be denied, citing the group of floor cleaners as an example, although there are many companies that comply with collective agreements.
Carlos Ester (PP) has commented that tourism is regulated via an agreement and has criticized Yes We Can for “criminalizing” tourism and businessmen when it is the subsector that helps the Canary Islands to get out of the economic crisis.
He has said that poverty is not due to tourism but to the “bad policies” of the central and regional governments and does not understand why they “continue squeezing” the canaries and do not use the proceeds to help the most disadvantaged families.
Nereida Calero (CC-PNC) has indicated that without tourism the Canary Islands would be “worse” and despite the impact of the pandemic it has managed to “get up” only with “isolated patches” from the Government and without a recovery plan that was promised at the state level .
He has criticized that the Canarian Government does not implement a “temporary” fiscal relief to deal with inflation and that benefits do not fall and does not understand that Sí Podemos is not worried about the 700 families who will be left unemployed due to the closure of the RIU hotels in Corralejo.
Yolanda Mendoza, from the Socialist Group, has indicated that it is necessary to pursue “exceptions” in which collective agreements are not complied with and there is a “challenge” to create a “shield” to protect workers.
