Garbage workers in Madrid ended their strike after a tense assembly where a new collective bargaining agreement was voted on. The result was a narrow majority in favor of ending the strike (819 in favor, 247 against, with some abstentions and invalid votes).
The agreement included a six-year collective bargaining agreement (workers initially requested two years), salaries increases (with some workers expressing dissatisfaction as the increase did not keep pace with inflation), and improvements to working conditions, particularly for those working night shifts and in workshops. Some improvements were described as not impacting every worker, or as minimal.
The strike was primarily led by the Sector Profesional RSU union, a newer union that emerged due to dissatisfaction with UGT and CC.OO. For the first time, the collective bargaining agreement and strike continuation was voted on by the workers themselves, not just union representatives. There was a sense of unity but also some disagreement among the three unions involved.
The city council threatened to implement emergency contracts if the strike wasn't resolved. Union leaders acknowledged this threat significantly limited their negotiating power.
The strike ended with the acceptance of the new agreement. Union leaders stated that if the vote had been against the deal, they would have resigned, highlighting the limitations they faced in negotiations with the City.