IRISH holiday makers have been warned “several days” of fresh strike action on the Canary Islands could ruin holiday plans.
It comes amid new walk out plans by hospitality workers as part of an ongoing pay and working conditions dispute.
Spanish hotel chiefs have offered workers whopping wage rises – but got the knock-back from unions who are threatening further strikes this summer.
Union bosses in the Balearic Islands are promising “several days of strikes” in July and worker demos from the end of this month unless their pay demands are met.
And in Tenerife and three of the other Canary Islands in the Atlantic archipelago, Irish tourists have been warned to expect chaos this summer if hotel workers go ahead with their threat to strike every Friday during July and August.
Overnight the possibility of walkouts in both popular holiday destinations moved a step closer as employers upped their pay offers but got short shrift from union chiefs who labelled the proposed rises “crumbs.”
Balearic Islands’ hotel chiefs increased a wage rise proposal that was already on the table to 9.5 per cent over three years – but were warned to expect a ‘no’ from worker representatives set to demand more than double that at a key meeting this afternoon.
UGT union spokesman Jose Garcia Relucio described the offer ahead of the meeting as “more crumbs” and claimed hotel bosses wanted their workers to survive on tips.
Referencing a demo five days ago by around 300 union members outside the Palma HQ of the Majorca Hotel Federation, he told local press: “It sounds like hotel owners are clueless about what happened last Friday.”
Further south, the likelihood of strike action this summer also looks more likely after hotel association Ashotel’s offer of a 13.5 per cent pay rise over three years received a lukewarm response from unions.
Ashotel revealed its new wage rise proposals late yesterday, saying they would affect more than 33,000 workers in Tenerife and the islands of La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro.
It said in a statement: “This increase is broken down as follows: seven per cent in the first year from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026, 3.25 per cent from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027, and the remaining 3.25 per cent from 1 July 2027 to 30 June 2028.”
A spokesman for the hotel association added, describing a previous Easter hotel strike in the area as “unfair”:
They said: “Ashotel has always been open to negotiate, even with a collective agreement in force until 2026 and with a strike held at Easter, which it considers was unfair.
“But these negotiations must take place within the framework of the collective bargaining table, which is the body with which the business and trade union parties have been legally equipped to reach agreements.
“The proposal put forward by the hotel employers’ association focuses on wage increases, given the specific interest of the trade unions.
“Ashotel has never refused a wage increase, as shown by the increases year after year, even in the tough Covid pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, when accommodation establishments were closed and wages were increased by 4.5 per cent in those years.”
EXCACT TIMEFRAME
Union sources responded by claiming the Ashotel proposal had “small print” and would lead to the loss of working rights.
Union members are set to vote on possible strike action next Monday in Tenerife and the western Canary Islands.
If they end up going ahead, the first strike would take place on July 4 before a repeat of industrial action every Friday thereafter for the rest of that month and August.
Unions are also expected to launch protests outside the doors of hotels.
‘ENOUGH IS ENOUGH’
Just last month some 23,000 furious locals across the Canary Islands took to the streets in protest against mass tourism.
Crowds held banners with messages such as :”Mass tourism is killing our economy and culture”.
Similar movements have been seen across Spain with protestors blocking tour buses and blocking access to popular landmarks.
Demonstrators were heard shouting “Canarias No Se Vende”, meaning “The Canary Islands Are Not For Sale,” and “Enough is Enough” as they proudly held Canary Island flags in the sky during the protest.
Some banners called for a stop to excessive tourism whilst others said: “There’s not enough beds for so many foreigners.”
Activists were also heard blowing whistles, banging on drums and blowing through huge shells to make a loud horn-like noise.
‘STAY CLEAR’ OF PROTESTS
IRISH tourists should make sure to stay up to date with their hotel details and pay attention to local developments
The Department of Foreign Affairs do detail some general advice for protests and demonstrations in Spanish spots on their website.
They state: “Public gatherings and demonstrations can at times take place with little or no warning.
“We recommend that you stay clear of demonstrations and follow the advice of the local authorities.
“Protests may cause disruption to transport and other services. Be prepared to adjust your travel plans at short notice if necessary, and allow yourself extra time for your journey.
“You should also check for travel updates or transport delays before and during your trip to Spain.”
And the ongoing pay dispute between hotel workers and their employers has added further unrest to the sunshine spots.
New action promised for July is just the latest in protests of that nature.
Workers staged a disruptive action during the busy Easter period in April. Action took place in Santa Cruz de Tenerife over April 17 and 18.
The strikes followed the rejection of a proposal from the employers’ associations.
These included a six per cent pay increase, implementation of adjustable beds, and the establishment of a negotiation table before the end of the month to address other concerns.
The strikes have involved approximately 80,000 hotel industry employees in Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera, and El Hierro.
