Indefinite strike of garbage collection workers begins in Girona. An indefinite strike by garbage collection workers began at midnight in Girona. Authorities have ordered minimum service levels until May 11. The conflict coincides with a major city festival and affects thousands of residents.
In Girona, an indefinite strike by workers of Girona + Neta, the company responsible for the city's waste collection system, began at midnight on May 6. Negotiations between employees and management failed to reach an agreement, despite hours of talks the previous day. As a result, city authorities were forced to implement minimum waste collection services until May 11 — during the Temps de Flors festival, which annually attracts thousands of tourists to Girona.
Dispute over working conditions
According to union representatives, the workforce’s main demands concern five key points: maintaining the current shifts and schedules set forth in the collective agreement, preserving public holidays, rejecting mandatory weekend work, indexing salaries to inflation, and ensuring protections for temporary staff as well as preserving rights already gained by previous employees. The new collective agreement has not been reached for a year and a half, and according to worker representatives, the strike will continue as long as necessary unless these conditions are met.
City hall’s response and measures for residents
Girona Mayor Lluc Salellas has publicly called on both sides to seek a compromise, emphasizing that the situation is having a negative impact on the reputation of city services, which have already faced disruptions in recent years. The authorities note that, unlike in previous years, the city's waste collection is now fully outsourced to a private company, and the conflict is internal. Nevertheless, the city administration stated it is ready to monitor compliance with minimum standards and, in case of a public health threat, to involve emergency services to remove accumulated waste.
Restrictions and a Call for Responsibility
Due to the strike, the city council has asked residents to minimize household waste, as collection frequency will be significantly lower than usual. Special attention is given to the Temps de Flors period, when the city traditionally welcomes a large number of visitors. According to Lluc Salellas, the administration has held dozens of meetings with both sides and remains open to further dialogue, but no compromise has been reached so far.
Next Steps and New Actions
On Monday, May 6, union and company representatives will meet again at the Department of Labor to try to break the deadlock in negotiations. Girona + Neta employs about 220 permanent and 80 temporary staff. A mass demonstration is planned for May 8 in central Girona, which could increase pressure on management and the authorities.
The strike situation in Girona has become yet another example of tensions between city services and contractors. Earlier in Badajoz, public attention was drawn by a daring nighttime museum robbery, when 149 gold coins from the famous treasure were stolen — details of this incident sparked widespread public reaction among the country's residents.
