LINE IN THE SAND
Canary Island beach workers going on STRIKE meaning no sunbeds & no umbrellas at four top tourist hotspots
One beach popular with Brits is at risk of having no staff on site
CANARY Island beach workers are set to plunge four tourist hotspots into jeopardy with strikes this summer.
Thousands of Brits could now be left without sunbeds and umbrellas in the San Bartolomé de Tirajana region of Gran Canaria, Spain, as staff protest about their precarious working conditions.
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An indefinite strike will begin on Saturday, June 8, meaning popular beaches like Playa del Inglés, El Cochino, Maspalomas, and Meloneras are all at risk of having no staff on site, the report.
The protest is aimed at Perfaler SL, a company who employs the workers but saw their service contract expire in 2011.
The Federation of Canary Islands Trade Unions (FSC) and the FSOC have expressed their frustration over more than a year and a half of failed talks with the company.
They have issued a statement explaining the strike is a result of prolonged negotiations without coming to an agreement.
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The unions have demanded updates to their working conditions to meet current legal standards, but have seen next to no progress.
The worker's demands include:
- Updating the terms of the previous agreement to align with current legislation.
- Enhancing health and safety measures.
- Providing additional training to prepare for organisational and technological changes anticipated with the new service tender.
- Improving social conditions such as work hours, wage adjustments, work-life balance, and internal promotion opportunities.
Local authorities remain hopeful of finding a solution to the dilemma.
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Yilenia Vega, the municipal councillor overseeing this area, confirmed that the local government is considering increasing payments to Perfaler SL to help support better wages for the workers.
However, this increase would need to be gradual, and might not be enough to prevent further conflict.
Fears for worst summer of sunbed wars EVER as top resort braces for 'towel mafia' Brits with strictest pool rules yet
And with the strike date just days away, pressure is building.
There is now a real concern over how this rocky start to the summer season could impact the area.
The outcome of this dispute will be closely watched by both locals and visitors.
Each year it appears that there aren't enough sunbeds to go around and the protests could be set to cause carnage never seen before.
Anti-tourist measures sweeping hotspots
A WAVE of anti-tourist measures are being implemented across Europe to curb mass tourism in popular holiday hotspots.
Overcrowding has become the main problem in many sunny destinations, with authorities trying to find a solution to keep tourists and locals happy.
Officials have attempted to reduce the impact of holidaymakers by implementing additional taxes on tourists, or banning new hotels.
Earlier this year Venice became the first city in the world to charge an entry fee for holidaymakers after it started charging day-trippers €5 (£4.30) if visiting the historical Italian centre.
It was followed by an area in Barcelona which resorted to removing a well-used bus route from Apple and Google Maps to stop crowds of tourists from using the bus.
Meanwhile, San Sebastián in the north of Spain, limited the maximum number of people on guided visits to 25 to avoid congestion, noise, nuisance and overcrowding.
The city has already banned the construction of new hotels.
The Spanish government has allowed restaurants to charge customers more for sitting in the shade in Andalucia.
Benidorm has introduced time restrictions, as swimming in the sea between midnight and 7am could cost a whopping £1,000.
The Canary Islands are also considering adopting measures to regulate the number of visitors - and charge tourists a daily tax.
Greece has already enforced a tourist tax during the high season (from March to October) with visitors expected to pay from €1 (£0.86) to €4 (£3.45) per night, depending on the booked accommodation.
Officials in Santiago de Compostela in Galicia want to introduce a fee for travellers to remind people to be courteous during their trips.
There are already fears that this summer will see the worst towel wars yet as hotels across holiday hotspots are bracing for sun-seeking tourists fighting for a spot by the pool.
Last summer there was a huge rise in scraps over sunbeds with holidaymakers rushing to place their towels on loungers first thing in the morning.
Two tourists in Spain have already been slammed for the "selfish" method to save their beds.
The image posted on Facebook shows two tourists lying on at least three deckchairs each, piled on top of each other and covered in towels.
It comes as anti-tourist protests run rife across Spanish holiday hotspots.
Earlier this week, hordes of anti-tourist protesters took over Majorca's beaches in the latest efforts to squeeze out foreigners.
Pictures showed families and other locals gathered under umbrellas covered in the slogan "Ocupem Les Nostres Platges", which translates into: "We occupy our beaches".
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In an effort to battle the increased flocks of tourists heading to the Balaerics this summer, British cops are set to be deployed to help reinforce police stations across the islands.
Holidaymakers from the British Isles are expected to rock up in their numbers in Majorca over the next few months, despite the increased amount of anti-tourist protests.
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