Workers have also denounced the poor working conditions in which they are immersed. In April of last year, the companies that went on strike did not pay the working hours of public holidays or the bonuses for shift changes. However, the struggle at the moment is favorable to obtain more material, as with the material they have they do not get to clean everything: “We don’t get to clean all the sections, we don’t get enough clothes and each one can only be used once to prevent contamination,” can be read in the statement released by the workers.

This communiqué, issued on 17 December last, was one of the reasons why workers have been convicted. The company considers that the dissemination of this communication has been a "very serious mistake" and has therefore sanctioned the workers.

Old stories

The company Garbialdi has been in charge of cleaning the hospital since 2017 and has since denounced workers who do not comply with the agreements. In addition to the above-mentioned protests and strikes, they have been mobilized on other occasions by demanding more material or workers from the company.

This company has also had conflicts in Euskal Herria, as in September 2018 the workers of the courts of Gipuzkoa started a strike for poor working conditions. Both in this case and in that of the Hospital of Madrid, the contract was renewed to the company Garbialdi to the surprise of the workers. One of the sanctioned workers, Elena Varela, has focused the problem on the privatization of public health.