Nueva Canarias wanted to publicly denounce the current situation of the lifeguard sector, especially those who carry out their surveillance work in tourist complexes in Lanzarote.
The municipal secretary of Nueva Canarias Arrecife, Armando Santana, explains that he held a meeting "with an important group of professionals from this sector, learning first-hand about their situation." After that meeting, he states that "the working conditions of this group leave much to be desired, suffering in some cases a burden greater than what their employment contract indicates."
"We detect that basic occupational risk prevention measures are being ignored" and "their non-compliance not only puts the lives of lifeguards at risk, but also those of the bathers themselves, hotel clients, and Lanzarote's own tourist brand," NC points out.
According to the party, "the imprudence of hiring young people with practically no experience is being committed, in many cases being their first job, with very low salaries and in a profession where they have the responsibility of ensuring the safety and lives of many people."
In addition, it questions that lifeguards "are forced to perform work within the hotel that is not within their competence, such as cleaning common areas, trash cans, placing hammocks, maintaining the pool itself, etc.," and denounces that "this is violating the rights of the worker, by performing these functions sometimes outside the pool area, which leaves it unattended."
Labor inspections
Similarly, it argues that there are hotels that use the same lifeguard to perform gardener or valet functions. "This group of lifeguards, meeting with Nueva Canarias, confirms that it is striking that in the same hotel they know the day and time of labor inspections. According to them, the companies that hire them are forced to give in to the pressures that the hotels exert on them, warning them that 'either they go through the hoop', or they will not hire them anymore," he adds.
In addition, he argues that companies "force lifeguards to sign a contract detailing different functions that have nothing to do with the function they should officially perform," and that "many complexes save on hiring the pool attendant or technical service, since they take for granted that hiring a lifeguard should cover those services."
"People's lives and health should not be treated as a low-cost service lacking experience and professionalism. That is why we request that labor inspections in this area be a reality and that these bad practices can be ended," the party demands.
