The partial stoppages, which will affect street cleaning, waste collection and civic amenity sites managed by FCC Medio Ambiente, will coincide with this Wednesday’s city council plenary session. The day of mobilization will include a rally at 10:30 a.m. in Plaza de España, followed by statements from workers’ representatives during the plenary session. The strike committee has described the minimum service levels as “abusive and disproportionate” and denounced the fact that some services have even been assigned 100% activity during the three-hour stoppages.
THE CONFLICT REMAINS DEADLOCKED BETWEEN THE COMPANY AND ITS WORKFORCE
The unions maintain that the municipal decree represents a “direct attack on trade union freedom” and question why such high percentages were set without properly distinguishing between essential and ancillary tasks. In their view, the City Council intends to ensure that the strike has barely any impact on the streets, and they accuse Gaudes of using public health as an argument to limit the impact of the mobilizations. The councillor, for her part, is at the center of criticism from a workforce demanding progress in negotiations over the collective agreement.
The conflict between the workers and FCC Medio Ambiente remains deadlocked over the economic and social terms of the new collective agreement. While the unions consider the company’s pay proposal, which they put at 7.5% over three years, insufficient, the company maintains that its offer amounts to 9.4% between 2025 and 2027, taking all elements into account. The workforce is also demanding improvements in work-life balance and equality, regulations governing internal promotion and a reduction in part-time employment, issues that continue to hinder an agreement.
For now, the mobilizations are going ahead, and the strike could become indefinite from next October 7, coinciding with the start of the Fiestas del Pilar, if no agreement is reached.
