The UGT-Fica PV and CCOO Industria PV have made a call to nearly 60,000 citrus pickers in the Valencian Community to make an indefinite strike after they were unable to reach an agreement with the employer organizations to improve their labor agreement for the next 4 years. But what are the unions demanding?
The employer organizations have offered a four-year agreement that separates the collection piece rate (i.e. the amount of citrus harvested) from the hourly wage. The companies propose a 6.3% wage increase until 2026. A proposal that the unions, which demand a cumulative 9% salary increase until 2026, described as "absolutely shameful". The unions demand that the salary increase be equal for hourly and piece-rate workers.
Currently, the salary stands at 10.65 euro per hour (although only 10% of workers charge by this method), the salary of the workers that are paid by piece collected varies according to the citrus variety they harvest. For example, they get paid about 2 euro per 20 kilos of clementines they collect.
The unions also demand the companies maintain the call to work by seniority, as is currently included in the agreement.
According to the CC.OO, some pickers also carry out activities that are not regulated by the agreement, such as loading citrus boxes on delivery trucks. This is something they shouldn't do because it's not included in the agreement and because it's dangerous. There have been many accidents in that context and the companies have told workers to say they have happened in the field and not when they were getting on or off the truck."
"Citrus harvesting is a strategic and fundamental sector of the Valencian economy. It' importance, however, has no impact on the living and working conditions of the workforce. The crews have been mistreated and ignored for years. They've been paid miserable wages, have had to work in precarious health protection conditions, having to carry out different types of activities that are not regulated in the agreement without pay," the union stated.
“The CC. OO. and the UGT will remain vigilant to avoid employer abuses and the improper use of ETT during the strike call, an issue that has already been transferred to the labor inspection,” they stated.
Source: lavanguardia.com