Rubbish collection workers on Gran Canaria announce indefinite strike

The refuse collection service in the south-east of Gran Canaria has announced an indefinite strike. Staff representatives have issued their warning directly to the company «AZ Servicios Urbanos y Medio Ambiente» (Azsuma). The relevant local authority has also been warned.

The warning states that, unless concrete and effective steps are taken to resolve the labour dispute, there will be no alternative to a strike. The municipalities of Ingenio, Agüimes and Santa Lucía would be affected by the strike.

Plans for a strike have been in the works since a meeting on 21 May. The workforce accuses Azsuma of backtracking on commitments previously made. The company is reported to have stated that it would not accept any agreements that would make the service even one euro more expensive. However, it is said that the company did not present its own concrete proposal for the refuse collectors at the meeting.

Gran Canaria: refuse collectors‘ wages frozen for more than six years

The workforce estimates its loss of purchasing power at more than 21 per cent. This figure comes from a legal report commissioned by Azsuma itself. According to the workers‘ representatives, the cost of living has risen by around 35 per cent in recent years. According to the Statistical Office ISTAC, consumer prices in the Canary Islands rose by 3.4 per cent year-on-year in July alone.

This is due, amongst other things, to the age of the collective agreement. It was negotiated more than six years ago and, according to the employees‘ representatives, is no longer valid. It was stated that salaries have not been adjusted for a long time and that this will soon mark the eighth year without a real-terms increase.

The dispute dates back to 2020. At that time, at the request of the local authority association, the employees agreed to a freeze on their rights. The background to this was a switch to a new concessionaire. To facilitate this, the employees agreed. However, they were promised that an adjustment would be made at a later date. Azsuma took over the service in July 2023, fully aware of this background. Since then, however, no pay rises have been granted.

Strike: Refuse collectors on Gran Canaria seek to reassure the public

In the coming days, the refuse collectors plan to launch an information campaign for residents of the three municipalities potentially affected by a strike. The aim is to explain the reasons behind the dispute. The refuse collectors want to set out their working conditions and thus seek the public’s understanding.

The service includes the collection of household waste, plastic, cardboard and bulky waste. The staff representatives are calling on the political leaders of Ingenio, Agüimes and Santa Lucía, as well as the managing director of the municipal association, to honour their promise to end the freeze on pay rises and finally adjust wages.