The Insular Union of CCOO of Lanzarote and the Legal Representation of the Workers (RLPT) of the island's selective collection service, managed by the company Urbaser, S.A., have formally rejected the collective agreement proposal presented by the company on October 17, 2026.
The union organization maintains that the document represents a step backward in the negotiation process after more than 20 months of talks.
The union sent a letter of rejection this Thursday, October 22, to the company's management and the Waste Area of the Cabildo Insular de Lanzarote. According to the union, the company's offer reopens the debate on aspects that had already registered progress and consensus between both parties.
Among the points highlighted by the social representation are the salary increases for the years 2027 and 2028, the application of which the company intends to condition on the implementation of the new collection service. CCOO rejects that economic improvements be subject to potential administrative delays or awards.
Likewise, the union warns of setbacks in the regulation of extraordinary payments and the night shift supplement, as well as in the remuneration for work on holidays. Regarding the working day, the staff demands the implementation of 37.5 hours per week from the signing of the agreement, while the company proposes to subordinate it to the start of the new concession.
As for leave, the company's offer reduces the provision of personal days compared to the union's proposal, which plans to gradually increase from two days after signing to four in 2028. The workers' representation points out that aspects related to the coverage of vacancies, rest days, and economic supplements are also modified.
The Monday to Friday workday and who works Saturdays
The main point of disagreement focuses on article 22, related to the organization of working time and the weekly distribution of the workday. Faced with the union's stance of maintaining the Monday to Friday schedule with voluntary shifts or new hires for the weekend, the company proposes the possibility of unilaterally assigning shifts on Saturdays based on the criterion of least seniority.
To this scenario is added the delimitation proposed by the company to guarantee Monday to Friday working hours only to workers hired before June 30, 2022, a criterion that the social party does not share, considering it discriminatory among staff members.
CCOO denounces that Urbaser "intends to dismantle the progress achieved" after 20 months of negotiation of the collective agreement for selective collection in Lanzarote.
The union emphasizes the inconsistency of reopening pre-agreed sections in the midst of a strike call and with minimum services set at 80%, which the union considers disproportionate. Faced with this situation, they appeal to the current legal framework: "We recall that Article 89 of the Workers' Statute establishes the duty to negotiate under the principle of good faith".
Faced with the paralysis of the negotiating table, the social representation demands a decisive stance from the insular corporation: "From the Insular Union of CCOO of Lanzarote, we consider the involvement of the Cabildo Insular de Lanzarote to be essential, as the administration responsible for the public service of selective collection and which even agreed with the workers on said labor advancements for the staff, and which the company has now trampled on all possibilities again".
The union insists that external management difficulties should not affect the staff: "We cannot accept that possible administrative or contractual delays in the implementation of the new service translate into the postponement of salary improvements, reduced working hours, or other negotiated rights".
The social party concludes its position by warning that it will maintain the union and legal actions at its disposal to prevent the loss of rights: "We are not going to accept that the negotiation of one article is used to backtrack on other rights that have cost so much effort to agree upon".
The union urges Urbaser to present an alternative text focused exclusively on resolving article 22 and reiterates its determination to defend the progress made: "Because after more than 20 months of negotiation, we are not willing to return to square one".
Add La Voz de Lanzarote as a preferred Google source.
Stay informed with the latest current news.