Santa Cruz de Tenerife 5 Feb. (Europa Press) –
The spokesperson for employment from the Socialist Parliamentary Group, Gustavo Santana, has urged the Ministry of Employment of the Canarian government on Wednesday to instruct Labour Inspection to initiate a sanctioning process against CEOE-HEPERIFE for “attempting” to undermine workers through their announcement regarding the establishment of a mailbox for personnel concerning alleged fraudulent medical leave.
Santana emphasises in a statement that several rulings have condemned mutual insurance companies for conducting surveillance on employees who, whilst on leave, have had to demonstrate in court that the infringement of their rights was entirely unwarranted.
“From the socialist group, we believe that the action taken by CEOE Tenerife is unconstitutional, as it creates a scapegoat scenario among the workforce, subsequently questioning the medical prescriptions made by doctors. It is therefore surprising to witness the resounding silence from the Minister of Employment and the Government of the Canary Islands regarding this issue,” he elaborates.
In this context, Santana points out that article 23 of the Statute of Autonomy stipulates in its second clause that public authorities must ensure, among various responsibilities, the integrity, security, and dignity of workers in the islands. Similarly, article 139 establishes that the sanctioning authority for infractions related to the social order falls under the jurisdiction of the autonomous community.
The socialist representative asserts that the “deafening silence” from the Ministry of Employment in the Canarian Government equates to the “largest act of legitimisation” of CEOE Tenerife “in light of a blatant violation of labour rights.”
Consequently, the PSOE demands that the Minister of Employment urgently issue a directive to Labour Inspection in the Canary Islands to open a sanctioning file against CEOE Tenerife, as well as instructing the employer to retract this measure.
