The trade union section Autonomía Obrera of the Cádiz City Council has expressed its dissatisfaction with the launch of the former Tobacco Depots as a new space for social innovation, entrepreneurship, and culture. The union criticizes that the working conditions of the municipal staff assigned to this center have not been subject to mandatory collective bargaining.
“"This center has started operating with municipal staff without any prior information or negotiation with the union representation, and this is not an unforeseen situation, nor unknown to the City Council."
According to the union representation, on April 14, days before the center's inauguration on April 22, a written notice was submitted to the Consistory, warning about the legal requirement to negotiate aspects such as schedules, shifts, and service organization. Despite this warning, the process has continued without rectifying the situation, leading to the unilateral imposition of working conditions.
Autonomía Obrera emphasizes that current regulations, including Article 37.1 of the Basic Statute of Public Employees (EBEP) and Article 82 of Law 5/2023 on Public Function of Andalusia, clearly establish the obligation to negotiate labor matters. Furthermore, Article 94 of Law 7/1985, Regulating the Bases of Local Regime, and the Regulatory Agreement for Cádiz City Council officials (2022–2025), reinforce the need to respect collective bargaining procedures.
The union believes that this action is a "political decision based on the urgency to inaugurate the center," prioritizing public image and upcoming electoral processes over compliance with regulations and labor rights. Therefore, they demand full information from the municipal government, an urgent convocation of the General Negotiation Table, and the halting of any unnegotiated measures, warning that if the situation is not corrected, they will resort to administrative and judicial channels.
