Latest news with #ComisionesObreras
Local Spain
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Local Spain
Why waiting times at Spain's immigration offices could get even longer
Processing visas and residency permits could take even longer now due to the fact that extranjería offices are reportedly already "overwhelmed", before new immigration regulations that could worsen the situation considerably. Back in November 2024, Spain announced it was going to make it easier for foreigners to get residency and work permits by approving a series of new immigration reforms, legislation which although good on paper has been met with some doubts by litigators as it could leave some asylum seekers in an increased state of vulnerability. These changes are due to finally come into force this month on May 20th. The new rules are designed to supposedly simplify the regularisation process for migrants living in Spain illegally, as well as making it easy for people to change to different residency options. For example, it will allow foreigners who have studied in Spain to move more easily from a study visa to a residence and work permit. At the same time, however, all this extra paperwork will also greatly increase the workload of administrators. Spanish trade union Comisiones Obreras has even called for a strike due to a "lack of resources" to implement these new regulations, as well as a steep increase in the workload. 'We denounce the unsustainable workload, the precarious working conditions of public employees, and the disastrous management, which is leaving thousands of citizens trapped in a bureaucratic labyrinth with no way out," the union said in a recent statement. The strikes will take place from 12:30 to 2:30pm at all immigration offices in Spain next Tuesday May 19th, one day before the regulations come into effect. In essence, understaffed, overworked and underpaid extranjería staff are fearful of the sheer volume of residency processes immigration officers they are going to have to carry out. Catalan authorities alone say they are looking at regularising the residency and work papers of 200,000 migrants in two years. To make matters worse, just days before the reform of the Immigration Regulations comes into effect, Spain's Ministry of Inclusion has made several amendments to the rules. While these aim to clarify the interpretation of the new regulations, it is also causing more confusion among extranjería workers. Even before the new reforms come into force, long waiting times, trouble getting appointments (citas previas) and phones that are never answered have been chronic issues at many of Spain's extranjería offices. This was recently brought to light by an article in Cadena Ser, where they reported how in order to process an appointment to obtain protected status at Valencia's foreigner office, you have to call on only one particular day of the week at a specific time. Obstacles such as these leave many foreigners in limbo and vulnerable. Appointments are so hard to come by due to the fact that 'mafia' gangs are blocking them all with the help of computer bots and then selling them to desperate foreigners, when in reality appointments should be completely free. For years, Spanish authorities have been unable to stamp out this scam. As Spain's population continues to increase largely due to the arrival of more documented and undocumented foreigners, an already overstretched and trouble-ridden immigration department will have to deal with a sizable increase in its workload, something that is certain to reflect in waiting times for foreigners.
Local Spain
28-04-2025
- Business
- Local Spain
Catalonia is the preferred region for job-seeking foreigners in Spain
A total of 24 percent of foreigners who have arrived in Spain since 2015 have chosen to settle in Catalonia, putting it just ahead Madrid, where 20.3 percent of those looking for work choose to stay. Catalonia is now home to 29.5 percent of European citizens who have arrived in Spain in the last ten years searching for work, and 22.6 percent of those from the rest of the world. This is likely due to a combination of factors. The northeastern region is one of the biggest tourist destinations in Spain, it is arguably the most cosmopolitan, and jobs in the hospitality industry are some of the most common. For example, almost half of waiters and shop keepers in Catalonia are foreigners. There are also many multinationals which have their Spain branches in Barcelona and the language spoken in the office is English. According to the latest data from Social Security for March 2025, the average number of foreign workers in Spain has reached 2.9 million, which is a new record. This represents an increase of 1,357,862 compared to March 2015, showing an 86.9 percent increase over the last decade overall. Of the 1.3 million new people who have signed up for Spain's social security system, almost seven out of ten or 69.3 percent have settled in one of the four regions with the largest job number of opportunities. These are Catalonia with 325,240 workers, Madrid with 276,007, Valencia with 171,615, and Andalusia with 168,138. This is according to official data, but Spanish trade union Comisiones Obreras also estimate that there are around 160,000 non-EU foreigners working illegally in Catalonia alone. After the regions above, the next most popular regions to find a job and settle are the Canary Islands (4.1 percent). and the Balearic Islands (3.8 percent), then Basque Country (3.7 percent), followed by Aragón (3.5 percent), then Castilla y León (3.4 percent), Galicia (3 percent), Castilla-La Mancha (2.9 percent) and Murcia (2.7 percent). Navarre, Asturias, Cantabria, La Rioja, and Extremadura are the regions that have received the fewest foreign workers since 2015. In the last 10 years, 20 percent of foreigners arriving in Spain looking for work came from other EU countries, while the remaining 80 percent came from countries outside the EU. Catalonia also retains the top spot when it comes to European citizens, which is home to almost a third of the total. Andalusia on the other hand only welcomed 6.2 percent of Europeans, compared to 13.9 percent of non-EU citizens. In Madrid, there's even mix - 21 percent are from the EU and 20.2 percent are from third countries, while in Valencia there are also slightly more Europeans - 14.9 percent versus 12.1 percent non-EU. The Canaries and the Balearics both have a high proportions of non-EU workers compared to EU and Murcia and the Basque Country have more EU, compared to non-EU. But, given the problem of de-population in certain regions in Spain, it's encouraging to see growth in the number of foreign workers particularly in the northern and central regions. It's in Galicia where the numbers have increased the most with 142.8 percent more registered workers in ten years. This is followed by Castilla y León with a rise of 104.9 percent, the Basque Country with an increase of 104.6 percent, Asturias with 103.8 percent, Valencia with 100.6 percent, Cantabria with 97.1 percent, Navarre with 95.2 percent, Catalonia with 93.0 percent, and Aragón with 90.4 percent. In May 2025, a series of new immigration reforms will come into force which will simplify the regularisation process for migrants living in Spain irregularly, so it's likely we could see the official numbers of foreign workers rise.
The Sun
24-04-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Anti-tourist zealots reveal next mass protests to plague Canaries in DAYS as they announce ‘most powerful' demos yet
BRITS heading to the Canaries have been warned that massive anti-tourism protests are brewing - and this time, they're set to be the 'most forceful yet'. The demos are expected to hit popular tourist resorts on May Day - just two weeks after thousands of tourism workers protested over Easter. 6 6 6 Next Thursday, protests are expected across the Canary Islands in Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, La Palma, El Hierro, Paraje pico de Malpaso, La Gomera, the Plaza de las Américas, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Thousands of people are set to demonstrate, under the slogan "Protect what has been conquered, win the future". Protests were first organised by workers' unions, CCOO and UGT, but they have now been expanded. They are encouraging people to take to the streets on all of the islands in what they have described as "the most forceful" protest to date. The archipelago has the lowest salaries in Spain and the poorest despite contributing more than ever to the Spanish GDP, according the Comisiones Obreras and UGT in the Canary Islands. Union leaders held a press conference, blasting the concentration of wealth in the hands of a few, while workers struggle with sky-high rents, low wages and rising living costs. They condemned the Canary Islands' healthcare system as "the worst" in Spain, citing the "longest waiting list" and poor working conditions that leave the working class in precarious situations. Campaigners called on employers in private clinics, agriculture, hospitality and commerce to take responsibility towards workers who "deserve a fair salary, a fair agreement with decent wages" The unions urged a mass mobilisation "in defence of social and labour rights" and "in support of the European project as a pillar of social democracy, coexistence and progress". "It is time to fight for workers' rights and to build a retaining wall against the fascist policies that exist at the national and international level," said Manuel Navarro, the general secretary of UGT. Thousands of anti-tourist protesters flood Spanish hols hotspots & call on mob to super glue holiday rental locks It comes as thousands of tourism workers in the Canary islands striked on Holy Thursday and Good Friday, April 17 and 18. Representatives of the Tenerife workers' union - who demanded a rise in pay - said the offer from employers was unacceptable. The tourism employers' association, formed by Ashotel and AERO, had offered a four percent increase in pay for workers, hoping it would prevent them from protesting during the Easter holidays. But unions want 6.25 percent. Meanwhile, Spain's first anti-tourism protests of the year kicked off on April 5 with vigour, when thousands of anti-tourism protesters flooded the streets of over 40 cities in Spain. Huge crowds across 40 different Spanish cities took to the streets. The main issue addressed was soaring rents and a lack of affordable homes. 6 6 6
BBC News
17-04-2025
- BBC News
Tenerife hotel workers holding protests over Easter holiday weekend
Holidaymakers heading to Tenerife in the Canary Islands are warned to prepare for disruption as hotel workers take part in strikes at the start of the Easter bank holiday say workers on the island are striking on Thursday and Friday in a row over pay and industrial action was due to be across the Canary Islands but an agreement was reached on Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and say around 80,000 hotel workers on Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro will still take action. The UK Foreign Office warned travellers to expect disruption over the Easter weekend and to check their tour operator's advice and follow the advice of law, strikers have to provide a "minimum service" but the Comisiones Obreras union, which called the strike, says hotel cleaning, food and entertainment do not fall into this says suggestions that minimum service should include things such as reception and concierge or cleaning, restaurants and cooking, infringe upon the workers' right to strike."The imposition of minimum services constitutes an illegitimate, disproportionate, and legally unsustainable restriction on the fundamental right to strike," the union said in a press release. Fernando Cambon Solino is among those moved to Tenerife for work. "Everybody knows the Canary Islands," he said. "You come here and you enjoy the sun, the beaches, the view. But it's not the same for the people who are working here." Rodrigo Padilla is a journalist in Tenerife and was at a protest supporting his mother who works as a said the issue was with both pay and conditions. "My mother leaves the house at 6am and it takes three or four hours to get to work and the same after her shift." The industrial action comes after a series of protests last year in the Canary Islands and Spanish mainland over mass say tourism has pushed up housing costs beyond a sustainable level for people to live on the stress they are not against the tourism industry, which makes up 35% of the Canaries' economy, but there was a need for a more sustainable model that factored in environmental impacts such as water shortages and which puts less pressure on costs and housing.
Arab Times
05-04-2025
- Climate
- Arab Times
Tornado brings down warehouse, killing 3 in Spain
MADRID, April 5, (Xinhua): A tornado brought down an agricultural warehouse on Friday, killing three people working inside, in southern Spain, emergency services confirmed. Local emergency services reported that they were called to the scene at 11:35 local time (1035 GMT) near the town of Dos Hermanos, close to Seville in the region of Andalusia. According to authorities, the wind had torn off the roof of the warehouse -- measuring 20 meters by 25 meters, leading to the collapse of the building. Three people working inside were killed. No other injuries were reported. Photographs from the scene show the building has been reduced to a pile of rubble. Spain's minister for labor and social economy said an inspection team was investigating the incident. Carmen Tirado, the secretary of the Comisiones Obreras (Workers' Commissions), a labor union in Seville, stressed that companies are legally required to adjust or suspend work during warnings of adverse weather conditions to protect people's lives, otherwise, tragedies like this can happen.
