Brits heading to Majorca this summer face disruption due to the possibility of strike action, which will likely spark panic among holidaymakers. Unions are fighting for salary increases and shorter working hours for employees in the hospitality industry, but remain at loggerheads with the employers.
The Unión General de Trabajadores (UGT) and Confederation of Comisiones Obreras (CCOO) met with employers on Tuesday after two months of negotiations. The unions want a 19% salary increase over three years and a 35-hour working week, alongside calls for flexible working conditions and improved work organisation.
However, the meeting failed to progress talks and, according to the Majorca Daily Bulletin, also “widened the gap between the two sides”. The employers have accused the unions of “absolute inaction”, while the unions slammed the proposals from the employers as a step backwards.
Both the UGT and the CCOO are planning to make the traditional May Day rally a mass event to exert pressure. They are also planning other actions, including possible industrial strikes if a deal is not met before the negotiating deadline on May 27. This could spark fears of Brits’ holidays being ruined.
José García Relucio, the general secretary of UGT, said that what the employers were proposing was not feasible. He said: “No union would sign that”, and added: “It seems that all they are trying to do is dynamite the negotiating table.”
Mallorca Hoteliers Federation is the lead voice on the employers’ side. Its executive vice president, María José Aguiló, said: “We are very clear that we are not going to talk about salary increases until we have evaluated the costs of the measures they are putting on the table.”
Meanwhile, its president, Javier Vich, said last weekend that a union demand for a 19% salary increase over three years was “unacceptable”.
The negotiations affect around 180,000 workers across Majorca and the Balearic Islands. They include employees in hotels, bars, restaurants and nightclubs.
If strike action goes ahead, staff ranging from hotel receptionists and cleaners to waiters and bartenders could be involved, potentially causing major disruptions to holidaymakers’ plans.
Spain is the most popular place for Brits to visit during the summer months, with Majorca attracting a vast number every year. In 2023, over 3.7m Brits visited the Mediterranean islands.