The staff of the Duty Free at Palma Airport, around 250 people, report unbearable temperatures due to broken air conditioning and a lack of rest areas. The unions CCOO and UGT are calling for a gathering this Tuesday.
The workers at the Duty Free at Son Sant Joan Airport have erupted. The conditions in which they work, they claim, are "shameful". The air conditioning is not working, the heat is intense, and there are no spaces to eat or rest.
The works council has sent a statement to Aena and the management of the Duty Free. They assert that employees are "cooking from the heat" and have to use fans and blowers to be able to work. The workforce totals 250 people.
More Precarity than a Year Ago
The unions CCOO and UGT have pointed out that the working situation has worsened. Fixed-term workers, they claim, "have to accept contracts of 20 and 26 hours a week, compared to the 40 hours of previous years". This is compounded by "a lot of pressure and an unbearable workload".
Furthermore, the company continues to fail to provide reports on variable remuneration, according to the committee. And there are not enough rest areas or toilets. Employees eat in the hallways and share a single toilet for about fifty people per shift.
"The dirtiness of a warehouse that is hardly cleaned affects the health of the employees," the works council reports.
Protest Gathering This Tuesday
In light of this situation, the works council has called for a gathering. It will take place this Tuesday, from 13:30 to 15:30, at Son Sant Joan Airport itself. The workers want to make their discontent visible and demand immediate solutions.
For the residents of Palma and travellers passing through the airport, the protest may cause some inconvenience, but the organisers assure that it will be peaceful and orderly. The meeting point is in the terminal, near the shopping area.
The labour conflict at the Duty Free is not new. Complaints about the heat have been made in previous summers, but this year the situation has worsened with reduced hours and a lack of maintenance of the facilities. The workers hope that Aena and the management of the Duty Free will take action before the heat and precariousness take a toll on their health.
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