Garbage collection workers in Orihuela have reached a critical situation and are warning of potential strike action. The three unions represented on the Street Cleaning and Urban Solid Waste works council—CCOO, UGT and CSIF—have called a general assembly for next Monday at the municipal solid waste facilities in the Puente Alto industrial park.
During the meeting, workers will vote on possible legal and protest actions in response to what the unions describe as an “increasingly deteriorated and unmanageable” service. Among the measures under consideration are formal complaints to the Labour Inspectorate over alleged violations of occupational safety regulations and the non-payment of wages. A strike has not been ruled out if solutions are not forthcoming.
Union representatives say they have repeatedly requested a meeting with Councillor Rocío Ortuño over recent months but have received no response.
Workers’ main grievances include the failure to apply agreed salary increases and the non-payment of overtime that has been pending for several months. They also report that an outdated collective bargaining agreement—currently under legal challenge—is still being applied, while negotiations for a new agreement have been stalled for more than six months.
Staff shortages are another major concern. More than 40 employees were laid off after the summer season and have not been replaced, forcing remaining workers to cover the gaps by working longer hours.
The unions also point to the poor condition of the vehicle fleet. Garbage trucks and other service vehicles are old and prone to frequent breakdowns, often leaving stains and unpleasant odours on the streets. According to the unions, many vehicles are not being repaired because workshops have not been paid and are refusing to carry out maintenance work.
In addition, mandatory medical examinations for workers have not been conducted during 2025, and the department’s insurance policy has not been renewed since 2023. The unions also denounce ongoing breaches of occupational risk prevention regulations, including the handling of heavy loads without adequate tools or sufficient staff, and the use of rear-loading trucks operated by a single worker.
Further problems include the expiration of the cleaning contract for work facilities, resulting in toilets that have reportedly gone weeks without being cleaned. The department has also been excluded—“without any explanation,” according to the unions—from the professional career structure established in the City Council’s recent job classification plan (RPT).
All of these issues, the unions warn, are directly affecting the quality of the service, which has generated a growing number of complaints from residents and is listed as one of the city’s main problems in the City Council’s own public opinion barometer.
