Most of the workers responsible for the cleaning services in Torrevieja’s old people’s home have been on strike for approaching three weeks. Some minimum services have been maintained, primarily the laundry service, although piles and piles of the patient’s dirty clothing still continues to accumulate.

We understand that the strike is as a result of the non-payment of bonuses from last year which are traditionally paid during the second month of the year.

There are 15 cleaning staff employed permanently in the centre plus a small number of temporary operators, who all claim that they have not been paid by Netalia Servicios Integrales y Raspeig, who are subcontracted by the Generalitat Valenciana.

According to the union UGT, this failure to make the payments triggered the strike in the nursing home, as a result of which the 200 residents are having to make do with dirty towels and bed linen.

The Generalitat Valenciana has ignored the problem by announcing that it is a dispute between the management company and its employees.