The care workers from the care homes of Guipuzcoa are starting a month-long strike

Nov 14, 2019

This latest strike called by the care workers and ELA delegates from the care homes and day centres of Guipuzcoa will cover the period from the 11th of November to the 11th of December. These 31 days will be added to the 118 strike days since September of last year, to make a total of 149 days on strike. On the other hand, an extra-statutory agreement between UGT (with a representation of than 10%) and the four employers in the sector, sponsored by the Provincial Council of Guipuzcoa, was signed this Friday.

According to ELA, today’s occurrence at the negotiating table is very serious: UGT, a trade union that does not represent even 10% in the sector, makes a proposal to freeze wages for 2017 and 2018 that is accepted by the 4 employers.

"UGT, a trade union that has a much more significant representation in the rest of the State, is colluding to allow the female workers from all over the State to be exploited, signing a minority agreement against the mobilisation of hundreds of workers with over 120 days on strike, when on 5 occasions it stated that it would not sign an agreement of this type, a fact that has been recorded in the minutes, as occurred in 2009, encouraging a loss of rights that we are still fighting to retrieve."

For ELA, the attitude of the 4 employers is equally shameful, signing to maintain the exploitation of the female care workers in the care homes. Making the new business culture, an aggravation of the worst collective bargaining culture, into a minority signing that does not represent even 10% of the workers, with the only aim of boycotting their real right to collective bargaining and aimed at thwarting their legitimate right to strike.

The trade union points to the fact that the Provincial Council has sponsored this idea. After raising the political allocation salaries by over 500,000 euros. With Maite Peña having received a 13% raise, and now earns 86,000 euros per year, more than 4 care workers earn together in the care homes.

Therefore, there is nothing new in this sector; UGT continues to be a trade union that follows the orders of the employers’ interests. The employers who promote the exploitation of the women in this sector to increase their profits and a Provincial Council that makes its leaders, such as Maite Peña richer, in order to keep the workers in the sector poor.