Warning for holidaymakers as huge strikes to target peak season
The ultimatum was delivered today by the General Union of Workers, the UGT, which has told employers: "You have 15 days to raise wages or there will be a strike in the summer"
Workers in a popular Spanish holiday destination are threatening to strike during the peak season.
Hotel bosses in Tenerife are facing a stark threat from union leaders: agree to a pay rise within the next fortnight or brace for strike action in the peak of summer. Hospitality chiefs were hit with an ultimatum today by the General Union of Workers, the UGT, announcing to employers: "You have 15 days to raise wages or there will be a strike in the summer."
Sindicalistas de Base, the leading union on the bargaining committee, has warned that failure to reach a deal by June 13 will result in a call to action with strikes during July and August. The unions demanded an unconditional salary hike retroactive to January 2025 as a precondition to discussing the rest of the items.
The impending strikes could be an echo of the walkouts experienced during Easter Thursday and Friday, after protracted negotiations failed to lead to a deal. The rallying cry of the workers is for a 6.5% wage hike – an additional 4.5% atop the 2% already sanctioned by the collective agreement.
In a powerful statement, the CCOO union has accused hotel employers of prioritising Tenerife's tourism image over the welfare of their employees.
"What they don't tell you is that in all the postcards with photos of paradisiacal beaches and five-star hotels that mark the exterior image there is an internal face where the truth of the destination is told," the union said in a statement.
"In this case the reality of the working conditions of the sector, the case of a housekeeper who has to take medication every day to make the day bearable and who is forced to clean private homes on days off in order to make ends meet.
"That of waiters who, with split shifts, are condemned to be tied to the company for 12 or more hours a day, to collapse on the roads or to rest in the car between one shift and another. They don't show you the reception staff subjected to psychosocial risks on a daily basis. They don't tell you anything about the salary differences between provincial agreements of more than 20% in some categories."
The new summer strikes would involve thousands of hospitality and restaurant staff, as well as cleaners, kitchen staff, reception, maintenance and entertainers.
The strikes, if they go ahead, would have a particular big impact on British holidaymakers. The UK is the Canary Islands' most significant tourism market, accounting for over 40% of all international arrivals.
Close to 6.3 million British tourists visited in 2024, marking an increase of over half a million compared to 2023. This figure is double that of German visitors, the second-largest market, which accounted for nearly three million tourists.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Farage would plunge UK into 'Liz Truss doom loop' - 10 times he praised ex-PM
The Reform UK leader has repeatedly heaped praise upon the former Tory PM - whose disastrous mini-budget crashed the economy and sent mortgages spiralling Nigel Farage would lock Britain into a "Truss-style doom loop", Labour warned last night. The Reform UK leader has repeatedly heaped praise upon the former Tory PM - whose disastrous mini-budget crashed the economy and sent mortgages spiralling. And today Labour' chair Ellie Reeves accused Reform of plotting £80billion of unfunded spending commitments - and said Mr Farage's poor judgement was "crystal clear." "Praising Liz Truss once could have been a mistake," she told the Mirror. "But the evidence shows he's a Trussite and now wants to inflict her economic chaos on Britain once again." On the day of Ms Truss' mini-budget, September 23 2022, Mr Farage declared it "the best Conservative budget since 1986." And even a year on - after the full damage caused by the mini-budget was clear, Mr Farage continued to praise its architect. "I absolutely, 100% believe in her," he declared in an article about an event she held at the 2023 Tory conference. He said there was much to "admire" about Ms Truss not being afraid to "fight for radical change". And as recently as May, he failed to include Ms Truss in a list of Tory leaders who "broke Britain" in a Reform party leaflet. Ms Reeves added: "It turns out the only way Reform want to reform our economy is by locking us into a Truss-style doom loop, with working people picking up the bill." 10 times Nigel Farage praised Liz Truss 'Today was the best Conservative budget since 1986' - X, 23 September 2022. 'This is the Great British growth rally, starring Liz Truss ... there is a genuine buzz here ... even more importantly, it's the message. It's about helping small business, reducing taxes, and actually getting growth ... I've got to tell you, this is more exciting than anything happening in the conference hall - Youtube, 2 October 2023. 'I absolutely, 100 per cent believe in her', said Nigel Farage, speaking about Liz Truss at Tory Party Conference in 2023 - Telegraph, 2 October 2023. 'In rhetorical terms, I loved it…it was all there…if this was the first, not the thirteenth year of Conservative government, I would have given it three cheers', Farage wrote about one of Liz Truss' speeches as Prime Minister - Telegraph, 5 October 2022. Mr Farage said, of Truss's mini-budget, "Kwarteng was right to cut taxes. Of course, he was right. Right to set up investments zones…and yes, taking a risk - increasing borrowing to do it.' - Express, 29 September 2022. 'Thank goodness Liz Truss now backs onshore gas exploration. She is miles better than Johnson already" - X, 8 April 2022. 'Interesting Daily Mail campaign on VAT-free shopping for tourists. Kwasi wanted to do that. He and Truss did have some good ideas' - X, 24 April 2023. 'Farage said there was much to 'admire' about how Truss was not afraid to 'fight for radical change' ... I think this woman has shown - in some areas - she is prepared to show up, take the abuse and fight for radical change and that I do admire.' - HuffPost, 2 October 2023. 'Truss may well have been a late convert to all of this but hey that's what she stood up and said so I welcomed much of the budget.' - YouTube, 8 February 2023. Failed to include Liz Truss in a list of Tory leaders who 'broke Britain', suggesting he backs her disastrous policy platform - HuffPost, 13 May 2025.
South Wales Guardian
an hour ago
- South Wales Guardian
Trade Secretary to meet US counterpart in bid to secure steel tariff exemption
The meeting will come after Mr Trump said he was doubling tariffs on imports of steel from 25% to 50%. The UK struck a deal with Washington for import taxes on its steel to be removed weeks ago, but its implementation has not been finalised. Trade officials and negotiators are planning to speak to the US as soon as they can to understand the implications of Mr Trump's latest steel tariffs. They want to secure a timeline for the UK-US deal to be implemented as quickly as possible in the coming weeks. Jonathan Reynolds will meet US trade representative Jamieson Greer to discuss timings for the deal to be in place when both attend the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) meeting in Paris next week. Earlier this week, a federal court blocked many of the sweeping Trump tariffs imposed on imports from countries around the world, but left some in place, including those on foreign steel and aluminium. On Thursday, a federal appeals court said it was allowing Mr Trump to continue collecting import taxes for now. On Friday, Mr Trump announced he would double the tariff rate on steel to 50%, starting on June 4. A Government spokesperson said: 'The UK was the first country to secure a trade deal with the US earlier this month and we remain committed to protecting British business and jobs across key sectors, including steel. 'We are engaging with the US on the implications of the latest tariff announcement and to provide clarity for industry.' The agreement, known as the economic prosperity deal, is expected to be presented to Parliament before it comes into force.
Belfast Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Trade Secretary to meet US counterpart in bid to secure steel tariff exemption
The meeting will come after Mr Trump said he was doubling tariffs on imports of steel from 25% to 50%. The UK struck a deal with Washington for import taxes on its steel to be removed weeks ago, but its implementation has not been finalised. Trade officials and negotiators are planning to speak to the US as soon as they can to understand the implications of Mr Trump's latest steel tariffs. They want to secure a timeline for the UK-US deal to be implemented as quickly as possible in the coming weeks. Jonathan Reynolds will meet US trade representative Jamieson Greer to discuss timings for the deal to be in place when both attend the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) meeting in Paris next week. Earlier this week, a federal court blocked many of the sweeping Trump tariffs imposed on imports from countries around the world, but left some in place, including those on foreign steel and aluminium. On Thursday, a federal appeals court said it was allowing Mr Trump to continue collecting import taxes for now. On Friday, Mr Trump announced he would double the tariff rate on steel to 50%, starting on June 4. A Government spokesperson said: 'The UK was the first country to secure a trade deal with the US earlier this month and we remain committed to protecting British business and jobs across key sectors, including steel. 'We are engaging with the US on the implications of the latest tariff announcement and to provide clarity for industry.' The agreement, known as the economic prosperity deal, is expected to be presented to Parliament before it comes into force.
