PHOTOS: Sergio Betancort
The first day of the strike in the Tourist Centers is having a "massive" follow-up, according to the management. This has forced the closure of the Cueva de Los Verdes "for security reasons", because there are no guides to carry out the visit, and private individuals have also been prohibited from entering the Montañas del Fuego. Only tour operator buses with guides are allowed to access this center, as it is a protected natural area. And inside, the usual exhibitions are not being held and the restaurant is not working due to the absence of staff.
As for the other centers, this Tuesday they have opened their doors, although with free access, since there are also no ticket collectors to be able to charge for tickets. This is the case of Jameos del Agua and the Mirador del Río, where tourists are able to access for free, but no services are offered inside either.
In the case of the Mirador, it was closed first thing in the morning because access was blocked with a vehicle. However, the car was later removed and the center was able to open its doors. According to the management, this has been the only "incident" recorded in the first hour of this Tuesday. And it is that, unlike what happened during the last strike in the Centers, a decade ago, there are no scenes of tension being recorded. "There hasn't even been a need for police or the Civil Guard," they say.
The Minister of Tourism, Echedey Eugenio, has traveled to Jameos del Agua, where several workers are gathering with banners to make their protest visible. Regarding the evolution that this strike may have, the management confirms that there are no advances or plans for new meetings, so in principle it will continue in the coming days.
Among other things, the workers denounce breaches of the collective agreement and of a ruling that gave them the reason, relating to the payment of salary supplements, as well as the hiring that they claim is carried out "in fraud of law", with "precarious contracts, by the hour and with completely degrading working conditions".
