Malaga sanitation workers launch hunger strike after negotiations fail

Zoom

The workers that maintain Malaga city's sanitation have been on strike for 48 days, demanding the constitutional right to protest without dismissals and work under dignifying conditions

Pilar R. Quirós

Málaga

Thursday, 19 March 2026, 12:11 | Updated 12:22h.

The sanitation contract workers of public companies Emasa, FCC and Aqualia have been on strike in front of Malaga city council for 48 days, but they are heading in a new direction on Thursday: a hunger strike that denounces precarious working conditions and the dismissal of workers.

The labour negotiations that have recently been advancing came to a standstill on Wednesday. Although there was an informal agreement on a wage increase of ten, two and then again ten per cent over the next three years, there is a new issue.

According to CGT union representative Miguel Montenegro, the company has recently dismissed seven people and there are eight open cases and two voluntary redundancies of 29 employees who started the strike. The workers have stated that they do not want to continue negotiating amid so many dismissals, "especially when they have the constitutional right to strike.

The employees who are starting a hunger strike on Thursday have loudly stated that they are being exploited. Despite a month and a half of demonstrations, Emasa still seems not to have sanctioned the concessionary company of part of the sanitation in the city, despite the fact that the councillor for the environment has stated that they have opened an infringement file.

The employees have been urging the city council to mediate negotiations. According to them, if there were motivations, the city council would just need to "withdraw the disciplinary proceedings and the repressive and discretionary dismissals".

The employees want to work under dignifying conditions that recognise their daily work in the city's sewers. Union delegate Diego Rico says that a labourer earns 1,160 euros net, below the minimum wage in Spain. In addition, the recent dismissals make negotiations difficult.

Over the past few days, the protestors have found public support and some agreements in their favour in the local governing team's meetings.