After failure to come to an agreement, the Granada hostelry sector will go out on strike on the 29th of August.

One thing is calling for strike action, but quite another is a substantial turn out from the 15,000 workers in the province – people are more worried about hanging onto their jobs and not rocking the boat.

In the provinces of Málaga and Huelva the strike was averted when the unions and employer associations reached accords, which in the case of Málaga means that the 70,000 workers will receive a 1.5% rise between now and 2017. In Huelva, the deal means a 2.35% rise by 2017.

Here in Granada, the unions were not after a rise, but hanging onto the already generous working condition; one of the best in the country.

But one thing is the official provincial working conditions stipulated in an agreement laid down between employers and unions and quite another thing are real working conditions. Many workers find themselves working eight hours or more each day when they are down as part-time workers doing only four. Many only get one day off a week, if they are lucky, during the high season.

The strike on the 29th will be followed by further strike action on the 4th, 10th and 11th of September, unless an agreement is reached.

Unfortunately the strike will coincide with an international sporting event in Granada, Mundobasket, with hotels booked out during the days that the event lasts.

(News: Granada, Andalucia)