SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE APR. (Press Europa) –
José Tomás Ramos, a representative at the negotiating table for the Provincial Collective Agreement of Hospitality in Santa Cruz de Tenerife for UGT, stated on Thursday that employees in the tourism sector are “exasperated” with their working conditions, which accounts for the significant participation in the strike across the province.
“This is just the beginning; the workers are discontented and are expressing this to both the tourists currently present and those intending to arrive shortly. It’s unacceptable,” he remarked.
He noted that the demonstrations will be intensified on Friday with simultaneous events at both ends of the island.
In the south, a rally will commence at 12:00, starting from the Gran Tenerife Hotel to the Mare Nostrum hotel, while in the north, participants will gather at Charco Square in Puerto de la Cruz.
UGT highlights that the tourism sector is reliant on an increasingly precarious workforce, facing exhausting shifts, inadequate salaries that hinder a dignified living, and conditions that adversely affect the physical and mental well-being of employees.
“We seek a fair agreement that honours work in hospitality and tourism,” explains Ramos García, who emphasizes that both men and women are tired of being regarded as “the forgotten sector” of the economy.
“They repeatedly espouse the notion of tourist excellence, claiming we are a benchmark destination, yet there is no discussion concerning the circumstances endured by employees who sustain this industry. Enough is enough; it is time to acknowledge and properly value our contributions, which should be reflected in an equitable agreement,” he stated.
Following these days of action, the union anticipates that the negotiations scheduled for Monday will be met by the employers with a different mindset.
“We have shown what we are capable of; we approach Monday with the same resolve,” concluded Ramos García.
