Rubbish collectors strike 'indefinitely' in Madrid
Monday, November 6, 2017 @ 10:46 PM
AN INDEFINITE rubbish collection strike started today (Monday) at 07.00 in Madrid as unions battle for improvements in working conditions and pay.
Refuse collection in the city is carried out by three franchise firms through their 1,600 or so employees, but changes in their labour agreement – which have to be signed off by unions – appear to threaten their job security.
Loading wheelie-bins into refuse lorries has always been a three-person job, but the firms now only want one person to do it – and, as this affects every neighbourhood in Madrid, it could mean up to two-thirds of employees would become surplus to requirements.
Other changes mean their general working conditions would become less favourable, and there is no mention of pay rises – at least, not of sufficient salary increases to reflect living costs and the type of work carried out.
Read more at thinkSPAIN.com