The Labour Inspectorate of Navarra clarified in Mercadona de Burlada that “respect for the dignity of both workers is not guaranteed”. The Inspectorate has identified behaviors that “violate the dignity” of workers through “humiliating and threatening actions”. This study shows that one coordinator and the company managers behaved in opposition to the two workers. Consequently, Mercadona has been sanctioned by the Government of Navarra with EUR 7,500.

ELA says the case has been considered “an attack on the dignity of workers”: “Time and again, and to reduce their psychological resistance, offensive and intimidating actions have been used”.

The study has identified among the “adverse pressures” of both workers changes in hours, allocation of incompatible tasks, prohibition of communication, disqualifications and threats. The sanction was imposed on the company following the complaint of the workers, one of them the trade union representative of ELA.

“These situations are not isolated cases in the labour market, but structural, and have to do with the impunity of entrepreneurs as a result of lack of control,” the union said.

ELA Claims

Furthermore, ELA encourages “workers who are victims of similar practices” to inform the Labour Authority: “This sanction would never have happened if these workers had not taken the decision to denounce the situation.” On the other hand, they have concentrated on Mercadona de Burlada to denounce the "treatment of the company". In addition, the union calls for “increasing public intervention” in workplace harassment and psychosocial risks.