British holidaymakers in Spain face summer of strikes by hospitality staff

British holidaymakers may find their getaways thrown into chaos amid a summer of planned strike action at popular Spanish destinations.
Workers in the Balearic Islands’ hospitality industry have threatened to strike on July 10 following a breakdown in pay negotiations. The majority of those employed in the sector on the islands, 180,000 workers in hotels, restaurants, and other tourist destinations, are scheduled to go on strike. It comes amid a wave of other industrial action as well as protests against over-tourism across Spain.
The unions’ demand for a 17% pay increase is the main sticking point in negotiations. Workers have been offered a salary increase of 8.5% thus far. The latest announcement of strike action comes despite an eleventh-hour deal reached with hotel workers to avoid a walkout in four of the Canary Islands including Tenerife.
Further strikes in Majorca, Ibiza and Formentera will affect all bars, restaurants, cafes and night spots may go ahead on July 18, 19, 25 and 31.
The UGT union is also demanding several other reforms to working practices, including a 35-hour working week and to increase the duration of seasonal fixed-term contracts from six to nine months a year.
UGT spokesperson Jose Garcia Relucio branded concessions made at Thursday’s talks as ‘more crumbs’, MailOnline reported.
The union said that despite entering the negotiations to improve conditions for workers, the meeting had ended with several agreed reforms rolled back.

However the Majorca Hotel Business Federation blamed UGT for a creating a poor negotiating environment and failing to listen to its reasons for not meeting its demands.
“We have reached a point where, despite the fact we have been willing to address the issue of guaranteed employment for fixed-term contracts, they have not listened to our reasons for not raising the proposed [salary] increase,” stated Mara José Aguiló, the organization’s vice president. Holidaymakers have already been disrupted this week after EasyJet cabin crew in Spain went on strike from Wednesday, impacting dozens of flights to popular destinations including Malaga, Barcelona and Alicante.
On Thursday, the second day of operation, the airline canceled 62 flights to and from Spain. If the USO union’s demands for its members to receive wages comparable to those of EasyJet employees in other nations are not met, the union has not ruled out a subsequent indefinite strike. Concerns over unsustainable tourism in popular vacation spots prompted thousands of Brits to march across Spain earlier this month to urge them to “go home.” A demonstration in Palma de Majorca saw protesters carry placards in front of beleaguered tourists reading: ‘Mallorca is not your cash cow… go home’ and ‘your holidays, our anxiety’.