The UGT union in the Balearics has announced that a series of protests will being on June 6, the latest meeting to negotiate the new collective bargaining agreement for the hospitality industry having failed to make any significant progress.
Following the Thursday meeting, the Mallorca Hoteliers Federation called the union "irresponsible", fearing that protests will have a negative impact on tourism markets.
The general secretary of the UGT services federation, José García Relucio, said the employers "do not want to raise their workers' salaries by about 115 euros, which is what we are asking for". Given the lack of progress, Relucio added that the first protest will be on June 6 before the next scheduled meeting. There will be an assembly at union headquarters followed by a rally outside the hoteliers federation's offices.
Further dates haven't been mentioned, but Relucio indicated there are likely to be demonstrations in the main tourist resorts, e.g. Playa de Palma and Magaluf. If there is no agreement after a meeting scheduled for June 26, Relucio warned that the union will not rule out calling strikes and work stoppages in July. Héctor Gómez of the CCOO union said it was possible that his union could join the protest actions.
The executive vice president of the hoteliers federation, María José Aguiló, insisted that the employers are the only ones making negotiation proposals in the face of union "immobility". She reiterated a point that the employers' proposed salary increase of 8.5% over three years is based on studies and takes account of inflation over the next three years. The unions are demanding 19%.