A Coruña (also called La Coruña) is an attractive city on Spain’s northern coast with the longest seafront promenade in Europe.
However, over the past few weeks Coruña has lost some of its appeal as waste piles up in the streets and people have begun to burn containers instead.
Since June 24th, the city’s rubbish collectors have been on strike due to the “outsourcing of services”, “unjustified dismissals” and “non-compliance with workers’ agreements”, the union that represents them has reported.
Almost 100 rubbish containers have been set on fire since the strike began, totalling more than €280,000 in damages, with nearly a hundred containers destroyed.
El Ayuntamiento de La Coruña declara la emergencia sanitaria tras casi un mes de huelga en la recogida de basura https://t.co/ywqVdaSnQ0 pic.twitter.com/qs900lbhIE
— EL MUNDO (@elmundoes) July 23, 2024
In recent days, only 20 percent of the trash in the city has been collected. Striking rubbish collectors have promised to clean up A Coruña in two or three days if the company meets workers’ demands, something which has not happened.
Faced with a such a public safety problem, the City Council has decided to declare a state of health emergency in A Coruña.
Emergencia sanitaria en A Coruña para recoger la basura tras un mes de huelga.https://t.co/fqN8ICgiPo pic.twitter.com/E9quCtc6yi
— EFE Noticias (@EFEnoticias) July 22, 2024
This should theoretically put an end to the rubbish collection crisis soon, as it opens up the city’s contracts up to new companies.
During a press conference, city mayor Inés Rey accused the rubbish collectors’ union of “blackmailing the city” and told striking workers for the collection service in question, Prezero, that they “will not be able to return the streets”.
La basura sigue tomando calles en A Coruña. A ella se suman los malos olores y las moscas en una nueva jornada de huelga de los trabajadores del servicio de recogida. Esta noche no ha habido incidencias, tras varios días con contenedores quemados pic.twitter.com/4g9YtJIqTa
— Quincemil 🥬 (@quincemil15000) July 8, 2024
Once 72 hours have elapsed after the health emergency declaration, new companies can bid for the municipal trash collection job.
The tender’s deadline has been set for 10am on July 24th, meaning that the piles of rubbish should start to be cleared on that very Wednesday.
The companies for “collection and transportation of existing waste” must have at least 13 vehicles and 32 operators, said the mayor, who has also warned about “the risk to public health and safety” caused by waste.
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