Quirónsalud Demands Termination of Laboratory Staff Contracts in Madrid. Quirónsalud is taking over the operation of a laboratory serving 1.4 million Madrid residents. The company insists on terminating the contracts of 249 employees, which could lead to legal action. The transition is marked by tensions and risks to workers’ rights.
A major labor dispute has erupted at the largest laboratory in San Sebastián de los Reyes, which serves 1.4 million residents of Madrid. Quirónsalud, having won the tender to manage this center, has officially begun the takeover process, but immediately announced its intention to terminate the contracts of all 249 employees. This decision deprives workers of their seniority rights, including severance pay, and has already sparked protests from labor unions and threats of legal action.
The transition period is set for one month and is strictly regulated: from the transfer of documentation to phased access to databases and final handover of management. Although the laboratory is not supposed to interrupt its operations, tensions remain high—employees fear losing their jobs and being unable to claim unemployment benefits if they don’t receive formal notice of dismissal.
Positions of the parties
Quirónsalud insists that Ribera Salud, the previous operator, must dismiss all employees, and that new contracts will be offered only to those willing to stay, but without considering previous seniority. Ribera Salud strongly disagrees with this approach and believes that by law, Quirónsalud is required to hire all staff under their previous terms. Employees are concerned that they may find themselves in a legal limbo—without old guarantees and without new contracts.
As noted by EL PAÍS, Quirónsalud representatives have already informed the unions that they understand the possibility of legal action and will not prevent employees from initiating it. The temporary solution allows for simultaneous employment at both companies, but the details of terms and salaries have not yet been determined. Compliance with the collective agreement has been promised for technical staff, while for doctors the conditions will be discussed individually.
Next steps
The transfer plan calls for the phased involvement of both companies: from transferring documentation to joint shadow work and final handover of management. The meeting between Quirónsalud, Ribera Salud, and the regional Ministry of Health was canceled, and a new date has not yet been set. This week, Quirónsalud representatives plan to meet with staff at one of the peripheral hospitals to clarify their position in person.
The contract for laboratory management is set for five years and valued at 120 million euros. For Quirónsalud, this is already the fourth major concession in Madrid’s healthcare system, highlighting the scale of the current conflict and its potential consequences for the labor market in the sector.
