The lifeguards employed on the beaches of Castell de Ferro (Gualchos) are having a hard time of it as the company that hired them allegedly has not paid them.
The said company, Charate, appears to have fallen down on several important points stipulated within the Convenio Colectivo Sectorial de Vigilancia, Salvamento y Socorrismo Acuático Profesional en Espacios Acuáticos Naturales; in other words, the established working conditions stipulated by law.
Today, the 22nd of August, 17 days after the established deadline came and went, eight lifeguards and one (RIB) skipper had still not received their salary corresponding to July.
According to the lifeguards, not only has the hiring company not met its salary obligations but it also intends to pay overtime in B; or in other words, in black, at an hourly rate inferior to normal working hours, claim the workers.
But that’s not the only problem because there is also a lack of personnel. The Town Hall contract stipulates that there must be a minimum of seven lifeguards on duty, manning all the lifeguard posts along its beaches. However, even at best there are only five on duty for the whole Castell coastline, which is a risk for beach users should an emergency crop up, consider the lifeguards.
Furthermore, the workers claim that the manager for Charate uses threats and coercion in an attempt to prevent them from reporting these deficiencies, which evidently hasn’t worked.
Lastly, the craft provided by the company as a rapid response to an emergency is completely inadequate for the job, only having an outboard motor of 12 hp, which was repeatedly pointed out to the company. Furthermore, the only person qualified to operate the RIB does not have a substitute to cover for him or her during days off.
Capitanía Marítima de Motril (Port Authorities) said that the craft does not have the obligatory paperwork in order therefore it could not legally be used. The Capitán de Yate y PPER (skipper) pointed this out to the company but they did not offer a solution, allegedly.
So what does Gualchos-Castell de Ferro Town Hall have to say about it? They point out that the company is the same one that had the contract the previous year and has all its licences in order. The Mayor, Toñi Antequera, has “called the head of the company to find out about the situation.”
The Town Hall is making payments regularly with complete normalcy, explained the mayor and expressed her hope that the lifeguards are happy with their job.
As for the said company, they deny these accusations and have assured that everything is in perfect condition and working well with the lifeguards.
(News: Castell de Ferro, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia – Photo: M. J. Arrebola/Ideal)