Around 60 people gathered this morning at the doors of Calvià Town Hall to denounce the precarious state of the lifeguard service. The mayor, Juan Antonio Amengual, met with the protesters and has called for a meeting this Tuesday.
The lifeguards of Calvià have taken their complaints to the Town Hall. Early in the morning, around 60 people gathered with flags, drums, whistles, umbrellas, and banners with slogans such as “SOS” or “enough of precariousness in Calvià lifeguarding.” With this action, the surveillance staff aimed to highlight the situation faced by the group.
After the protest, Mayor Juan Antonio Amengual met with the protesters and has called for a meeting this Tuesday at 8 am to address their demands. The workers are calling for changes that they claim depend on the political will of the council.
Beaches Without Permanent Surveillance
Among the main complaints of the group is the coverage of the service. The General Secretary of the Calvià Lifeguards Union, Ariel Gauna, detailed that of the nearly 30 beaches in the municipality, only 11 have permanent surveillance, a number he considers insufficient to ensure the safety of bathers.
However, the Town Hall rejects this criticism and asserts that it complies “fully” with the regulations and recommendations of the General Directorate of Emergencies of the Government. According to the council, the beaches of Oratori, the three in Palmanova, the three in Peguera, Santa Ponça, and Magaluf have lifeguard teams, while smaller and less frequented beaches, such as Illetes, Portals Nous, Cas Català, and Cala Vinyes, have reactive lifeguards, a role provided for in the regional regulations.
The Controversial Role of the Reactive Lifeguard
Indeed, the use of the reactive lifeguard is one of the most questioned aspects by the workers. Gauna argues that this role, introduced by the General Directorate of Emergencies in 2017, “breaks the basic pillars of lifeguarding: watching, preventing, and rescuing.” He explains that in many cases, these are beach waiters or staff assigned lifeguarding duties without performing preventive surveillance.
“The reactive lifeguard does not watch, does not prevent, and when they have to act, it is often too late. It is a very controversial role, and its use is reckless,” says the union representative, who adds that this mode is used in Calvià during the months of March, April, and November, as they work from May to October.
The council, on the other hand, defends that these professionals have the same qualifications as other lifeguards and that they combine those functions with other tasks, always in accordance with the criteria set by the General Directorate of Emergencies.
Hours and Watch Towers: Other Open Issues
The service hours constitute another point of disagreement. The lifeguards demand that the extended hours until 7:30 pm, currently applied only during July and August, also be extended to June, as they believe that after 6 pm the beaches continue to see high numbers of bathers.
The Town Hall responds that from 2024, the surveillance service will operate from May to October from 10 am to 6 pm, and during July and August it is extended by an hour and a half, until 7:30 pm, an extension that at Palmira beach in Peguera is maintained until mid-October.
The infrastructures also focus part of the group's demands. The lifeguards report that several watch towers have deficiencies and do not comply with occupational risk prevention regulations, a situation that, they claim, has already caused injuries from sun exposure among some workers.
As summer approaches, safety on the beaches of Calvià remains an unresolved issue. Tuesday's meeting will be crucial to see if the Town Hall and the lifeguards can reach an agreement that guarantees a dignified and safe service for bathers.
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