Around twenty employees of the public company Sóller 2010 gathered this Saturday in front of the Town Hall to demand better wages and a protocol against heat. The labour conflict could lead to a complete halt of the waste collection service.
The labour conflict at the municipal company Sóller 2010, responsible for street cleaning and waste collection, has escalated. This Saturday, around twenty workers called by UGT gathered in front of the Sóller Town Hall with pots, whistles, and banners to denounce the stagnation of the collective agreement negotiations. The protest, which lasted nearly two hours, was supported by the municipal opposition groups, Més per Sóller and Seny i Sentit, whose representatives approached the protesters to hear their demands.
Broken negotiations and failed mediation
The source of the discontent lies in the blockage of talks to renew the collective agreement of the public company. According to union sources, up to three meetings have been held this week before the Arbitration and Mediation Tribunal of the Balearic Islands (TAMIB) without the parties managing to reach an agreement. The municipal company Sóller 2010 refuses, according to UGT, to accept the workers' proposals, which include not only wage increases but also the implementation of a specific protocol to address high temperatures.
The union claims that the management of the public entity refuses to establish clear measures and protections in situations of orange and red alerts due to heatwaves. The ORA workers and waste collectors are the most exposed, as they work outdoors during the hottest hours. "The management refuses to accept the proposals that would clearly define the measures and protections to be taken in situations of orange and red alerts due to heatwaves, putting the health of the staff at risk," asserted the union.
Indefinite strike on the horizon
The deadline to reach an agreement is running out. Contacts will continue next Monday, but if there are no significant advances, that same night the waste collectors will begin an indefinite strike. The General Directorate of Labour has formally summoned the company and the works council on Monday at 9 am for a mediation meeting aimed at urgently resolving the conflict.
The possibility of a complete halt in waste collection is concerning the residents of Sóller, who are already suffering the consequences of the high temperatures. The Sóller Town Hall, currently governed by the PSOE, has not made any public statements regarding the protest, although the opposition has shown support for the workers. "The town deserves efficient management," chanted the protesters, a slogan that summarises the sentiment of those demanding quality public service and decent working conditions.
The labour conflict of Sóller 2010 is not an isolated case on the island. Other municipal companies in Mallorca have experienced similar tensions in recent years, with strikes in cleaning and waste collection services in municipalities such as Inca or Manacor. However, the peculiarity of Sóller lies in the demand for a heat protocol, a claim that gains strength in an especially hot summer.
Meanwhile, the residents of Sóller remain attentive to the evolution of the negotiations. The meeting on Monday before the General Directorate of Labour will be crucial in determining whether the waste collection service continues or if, on the contrary, Sóller faces an indefinite strike that could leave the streets filled with waste during the tourist season. The workers, for their part, remain firm: "We will not stop until we are heard," warn the union.
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