SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE APR. (Press Europa) –
Base trade unionists estimate a 70% participation in the tourist strike within the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, although this is “uneven” across different areas and departments of the hotels. The most significant absence is noted in the catering and kitchen sectors, while reception, technical services, and cleaning report lower rates of participation.
Furthermore, it is reported that the highest levels of participation are in hotels located in the southern part of Tenerife, with some hotels reporting over 80%. In contrast, the northern regions and the island of La Gomera are observing around 60%, with no data available for La Palma.
This organisation, which holds a majority position in the tourism sub-sector within the province, has denounced the minimum services mandated by the Government of the Canary Islands as “excessive,” and they intend to contest this action before the Superior Court of Justice of the Canary Islands.
In fact, they assert that all companies have disregarded the ruling of the Constitutional Court 11/1981 dated April 8, as the individuals designated for minimum services “cannot be unilaterally appointed by the company but should be agreed upon with the strike committee and thus with the Company Committees.”
In this regard, it has been stated that on Wednesday, companies informed individuals who were “clearly aware that they were going to support the strike” of their designation as minimum services, clearly aimed at lessening the impact of the strike, which constitutes a blatant violation of the right to associate and to strike.
Therefore, base trade unionists caution that they will file complaints with the relevant social jurisdiction concerning the employment actions taken through temporary work agencies, which are “explicitly prohibited.”
“We are entirely confident that participation will be even higher tomorrow, as those who have chosen to exercise their right to work have had to alter their working patterns, likely leading to longer work hours, prompting them to reconsider their participation for the following day,” stated Manuel Fitas, the secretary of Organisation.
Nevertheless, he signals that both the employers and the Government of the Canary Islands must “take heed” and transition from mediation to “action” to initiate negotiations with proposals that prevent “further calls” for strikes in a “crucial” sector for the Canarian economy, ensuring that the wealth generated translates into improved rights and wages for their employees and enhanced services for the residents of the Canary Islands.
