Indefinite Bus Strike in Cádiz and San Fernando

Indefinite Bus Strike Begins in Cádiz and San Fernando

Starting from 00:00 on Thursday, July 10, urban buses in Cádiz and San Fernando will be affected by an indefinite strike. This action coincides with the long-awaited Jennifer López concert, scheduled for 22:00 at Cádiz Music Stadium, formerly known as the Nuevo Mirandilla stadium of Cádiz CF, which will be transformed into a large auditorium for the occasion.

The strike will have a significant impact, especially on Friday, July 11, when Marc Anthony performs at the Música del Mar festival, right at a time when the capital city of Cádiz is host to numerous holidaymakers and tourists. A demonstration has been called for 10:00 on Thursday, which will march along the Avenida from Plaza de Asdrúbal to Plaza de San Juan de Dios, where workers will remain gathered until 14:00.

After more than five hours of negotiations involving Sercla (Servicio Extrajudicial de Resolución de Conflictos Laborales en Andalucía), no agreement was reached between worker representatives and the company Tranvía de Cádiz a San Fernando y Carraca S.A.. This comes after two previously called strike days were suspended. A total of 240 workers from all company departments will participate in this strike, affecting the operation of 42 buses running between both towns.

The works council has scheduled an assembly for 22:00 on Wednesday, July 9, to report on the outcome of negotiations and the lack of agreement, emphasizing that the indefinite strike remains firm. The labor authority has set minimum services at 50%, which are available on the company website.

Manuel Prado, president of the works council, commented: "Negotiations are completely stalled because the company has not accepted any of our demands. The mediators tell us we are on opposite sides." Furthermore, he emphasized that workers are not only seeking financial improvements, but also fairer working conditions and a better work-life balance.

Key labor demands include implementing fifteen-minute breaks on urban bus lines, as well as improvements to other bonuses they consider lower than provincial collective agreements. They are also requesting the digitalization of working hours tracking. The increased demand for services, which has seen passenger numbers grow from 11,537,000 in 2019 to 12,400,000 in 2024, has increased the workload for employees.

For his part, Leopoldo Pérez, managing director of the company, assured that the meetings have not been productive and that the committee's requests focus mainly on financial issues. "The public service must be provided; it cannot be conditioned on the agreement," he argued. Pérez also stressed that the current collective agreement, the result of 50 years of negotiations, is already favorable and that any adjustment must be considered with caution.

As negotiations progress, it is hoped that both parties will reach an agreement that avoids further inconvenience for workers and users. However, the current situation highlights the urgent need for a constructive dialogue to address employees' concerns without impacting the public service.