Spain‘s main trade unions have unanimously rejected the latest wage review proposal put forward by employers in the accommodation sector, warning that unless significant progress is made, strike action will go ahead throughout the summer, including weekly walkouts every Friday in July and August.
Proposal Deemed Inadequate and Regressive
According to the unions, the proposal presented by the employers includes a wage increase of 13.5% over three years — distributed as 7% in the first year, followed by 3.25% in each of the following two years. However, they criticise the offer for including a 2.5% absorption clause, which would allow employers to offset these increases against pre-existing wage agreements. These agreements, acknowledged by the employers themselves, currently apply to around 80% of employees in the accommodation sector.
Union representatives argue that this mechanism effectively reduces the real increase in wages and does little to compensate for the loss of purchasing power suffered by workers in recent years.
Cuts to Labour Rights Spark Further Backlash
In addition to the wage concerns, the unions strongly oppose what they see as regressive measures embedded in the proposal. These include:
- Reductions in pay during periods of temporary incapacity (such as sick leave)
- Modifications to the loyalty bonus, which is awarded to staff upon leaving the company after at least 16 years of service
- The introduction of irregular distribution of up to 30% of working hours, linked to a possible future reduction of the working week — a change the unions say should be negotiated within a specific legislative framework rather than as part of a collective agreement.
Unions Set to Convene for Strategy Talks
In response to the employers’ proposal, the Trade Union Committee — comprising the Canary Islands Trade Union Federation (SBC + FSOC), UGT, Intersindical Canaria (IC), and USO — will reconvene on Monday, 16 June at 12:00 at the Sindicalistas de Base headquarters in Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Calle Méndez Núñez, 35). The CCOO has also been invited to participate, with the objective of formulating a unified counterproposal and assessing possible steps to avoid the announced strike action.
Strike Calendar Already in Place
Should negotiations fail to yield a satisfactory agreement, the unions have confirmed that they will adhere to their pre-planned mobilisation strategy, which includes:
- Strike days every Friday throughout July and August
- Targeted protests at major hotel chains, some of which have already begun — including recent actions at the RIU Palace and Barceló Royal Hideaway Corales Suites
Call for Government Mediation
The Canary Islands Trade Union Federation has once again urged the President of the Canary Islands Government and the Minister for Tourism and Employment to intervene in the dispute, requesting formal mediation to help break the deadlock and secure a fair agreement.
The unions maintain that, following the general strike held over Easter, workers in the accommodation sector are now demanding that the sector’s post-pandemic recovery be reflected in tangible improvements to wages and working conditions, after years of real wage decline.
