Tenerife hotel workers to stage weekly summer strikes over pay dispute

Hotel workers across Tenerife are set to stage weekly strikes during the peak tourism season in July and August, with industrial action scheduled to begin on July 4. The strikes, organised by the main tourism unions, will take place every Friday and are expected to impact operations across the island, particularly in the capital, Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

The planned walkouts come in response to a stalled negotiation process over salary increases. Union representatives are demanding a 6.5% pay rise as part of talks for a new collective agreement and accuse employers of a “stubborn refusal” to engage in meaningful dialogue.

Union members intend to hold protests outside major hotel chains to maximise the disruption, potentially affecting thousands of holidaymakers, including a significant number of British tourists, during the height of the summer holiday season.

Manuel Fitas, a leading figure from the Grassroots Trade Unionists, said that employers were given a 15-day deadline, starting May 29, to respond to workers’ pay demands. That deadline has now passed without resolution. “We gave employers a 15-day deadline to respond to their demand for a 6.5 per cent salary increase before negotiating a new agreement,” Fitas stated, expressing frustration over the lack of engagement.

The local employers’ association, however, struck a more cautious tone. Juan Pablo González, its manager, said they remained “moderately optimistic” about the ongoing talks. He also reaffirmed that any agreement would have to be reached at the negotiation table. “We limit everything to the table because that is how collective agreements are negotiated,” González said.

The final dates for the protests and strike action are expected to be confirmed on June 16.

The announcement adds to the wider wave of anti-tourism and labour-related protests that have been sweeping across Spain since April 2024, raising concerns about potential disruption to the summer travel season.

The article Tenerife hotel workers to stage weekly summer strikes over pay dispute first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.