The gardeners believe the protest affects all of the city’s public services and share the claim that workers have suffered a 20% loss of purchasing power. “Their struggle is also the struggle of Zaragoza’s entire working class,” the works council said, calling for “dignified” conditions for its staff.
CRITICISM OF MINIMUM SERVICE LEVELS AND GAUDES
The statement takes particular aim at the minimum service levels set by the City Council, which cleaning workers had already described as “abusive” at the start of the strike. The gardeners say the percentages are intended to “make the right to strike invisible and sabotage it” during the Fiestas del Pilar and accuse the council of reducing the workforce’s ability to exert pressure.
The FCC Parks and Gardens works council goes a step further and demands the “immediate resignation” of the councillor for Environment and Mobility, Tatiana Gaudes. In its view, her management “blatantly aligns itself with the economic interests of the multinational FCC,” and it criticises her “lack of willingness to mediate” to resolve a dispute that began after months of negotiations without an agreement.
The gardeners ultimately call on the City Council and FCC to resume “genuine negotiations” with the strike committee to agree on pay rises and progress on work-life balance and equality. They are also urging social organisations and residents to support the planned demonstrations, as the indefinite strike continues on the eve of the Fiestas del Pilar.
