The Yaiza City Council will set the minimum services for the indefinite strike that the cleaning service workers plan to begin this Friday. This was indicated to La Voz by the mayor of the municipality, Gladys Acuña, who stressed that the City Council is "completely up to date with payments" to the awarded company, Hernández Bello S.L.
In the mayor's opinion, "residents cannot suffer the consequences" of a strike when the City Council pays "religiously" and "there is not a single delay." Furthermore, she considers that this strike is "absolutely disproportionate, due to the consequences it entails" and the reasons for the call.
According to the mayor, the employees claim that the company owes them "the proportional part of an extra payment that they only receive if they have fulfilled their working hours." The "right to accrue" these payments, she adds, was generated from March 31 and the employees decided to go on strike from April 20. The mayor believes that "an indefinite strike should be the last resort" and believes that "the first thing" in these cases is "to go to court." The employees, however, speak of other "breaches," such as not being paid for "night work" or not having all the work material they consider necessary. They also claim that they are the "lowest paid" in the sector on the island.
Regarding the minimum services, Acuña points out that according to a recent ruling by the Supreme Court, it is the city councils that establish the minimum services. The mayor has indicated that, after being informed by the General Directorate of Labor of the Government of the Canary Islands, the City Council has requested a proposal for minimum services from the union representatives and another from the company, and has given them until this Tuesday to deliver it. At noon, the City Council had not received "any proposal" from the union representatives, the mayor stressed.
"If we do not receive it, we will understand that they are not proposing anything," Acuña added. Once they have both proposals or the deadline expires, the municipal technicians will assess them and, at the latest this Thursday, will establish those minimum services. Acuña has referred to that deadline and has not yet advanced what percentage of the services will be included.
