Intersindical Canaria denounces ‘arbitrary manoeuvres’ by Betancuria Town Council to review an already approved staffing structure

Intersindical Canaria has expressed its ‘deep concern’ following Betancuria Town Council’s announcement that it will set up a working group with the SEPCA union to review the staffing structure (Relación de Puestos de Trabajo, or RPT), teleworking, the harassment protocol and an update to the collective agreement. The union says the initiative breaches full-council agreements and municipal staff’s employment rights.

A review ‘contrary to current law’

The union points out that the RPT was approved by an absolute majority at a full council meeting in June 2024, following negotiations with Intersindical Canaria and Comisiones Obreras, with the active participation of employees. It stresses that the approval followed ‘all the legal procedures’ and received favourable technical and legal reports.

It therefore describes the attempt to launch a review now as an ‘arbitrary manoeuvre’:

‘The claim that it needs to be reviewed directly contradicts current law and the full-council agreement, which remains fully valid.’

The union also says the RPT is currently under investigation by the Public Prosecutor’s Office, which it believes makes any parallel action ‘even more improper and reckless’.

Mayor and secretary-controller accused of trying to ‘overturn democratic agreements’

The union calls it ‘particularly serious’ that Mayor Enrique Cerdeña Méndez and municipal secretary-controller Elena Puchalt Ruíz are ‘trying to de facto annul the RPT’ without reasoned reports or the union consensus previously reached.

Intersindical says this stance contradicts the recommendations of the Consultative Council and constitutes ‘a clear breach of workers’ rights’.

Criticism of SEPCA’s role in a new negotiating forum

The union also expresses alarm at the creation of a new negotiating forum with SEPCA to review the already approved RPT, an initiative it says ‘has no technical, legal or employment-related justification’.

According to the press release, the Town Council’s use of the term ‘modernisation’ ‘is merely a façade for replacing previous agreements without any justification’.

Teleworking applied ‘at discretion’

On teleworking, Intersindical says the Town Council already has an internal practice in place, but that it is applied ‘unevenly and without clear criteria’.

It says the mayor has granted teleworking ‘at his discretion, without a regulatory framework or equal treatment’, which, it argues, runs counter to any talk of modernisation.

Harassment protocol ‘blocked for more than a year and a half’

The union says the workplace harassment protocol, activated by staff more than 18 months ago, remains ‘blocked, with no investigation at all’. Complaints against the mayor and the secretary-controller ‘have been ignored’, while the Town Council is announcing a new protocol that the union considers ‘purely cosmetic’.

‘We will not allow employment processes to be manipulated’

Intersindical is calling on the Town Council to respect full-council agreements and act in accordance with the law to safeguard job security and staff rights:

‘We will not allow modernisation to be used as an excuse to reverse democratic agreements, still less to manipulate employment processes that have already been concluded.’

The union says it will remain vigilant against any attempt to ‘undermine workers’ rights’, not only in Betancuria but across all public bodies in Fuerteventura and the Archipelago.

The union also accuses SEPCA of acting ‘in collusion with certain political parties’ in practices that ‘reduce employment rights for the benefit of particular and party-political interests’.