THE Central Independent Trade Union and Officials in Almeria (CSIF-A) and the workers of Urbaser Roquetas are protesting in Roquetas de Mar.
No new workers’ rights agreement has been reached between the waste disposal company Roquetas City Council since December 2015.
Key issues focus on working conditions for the company’s 250 employees and the future partnership with the town hall. Officials of Urbaser said that they had requested repeated meetings with representatives in 2015 and 2016 to strike a new deal but were rebuffed. They add that the city has, in fact, out to tender waste collecting services and city obfuscation is an attempt to circumvent reaching a new deal.
As a legal bidding process can take another 8-10 months, strike action is being threatened to produce a resolution for workers. Both CSIF-A and Urbaser are warning that unless an agreement is reached soon, a mobilised strike will launch on August 16 by the General Assembly of Workers.
A picket protest has already taken place at a meeting of the Works Committee, attended by Mayor Gabriel Amat, on July 31. The union have said they will continue to picket and are planning a rally on August 14 at Town Hall Square.
The protest will culminate with an indefinite collection strike on August 16 if there is no response from the municipal government. No representatives were available for comment.
