The news that major construction companies in the Canaries may import up to 2000 workers from South America to remedy the current dearth of labourers and skilled workers has triggered an angry response by trade unions.
The association of construction firms and developers (AECP) in Las Palmas went public last week with its fears that projects could grind to a halt and the property sector could collapse because of the lack of workers. It revealed that it is actively seeking replacement labour in countries such as Chile and Peru to mitigate the problem.
“We are having serious problems recruiting locally and needed to interview 3300 people just to find 90 who were willing to train in construction work” said association chief María Salud Gil, adding that temporary accommodation was being offered to the imported labourers.
The announcement met with a swift response from the main unions, who have voiced concerns that employers will use the opportunity to downgrade working conditions compared to those that operate for Spanish workers.
“What is offered to these construction workers in their countries of origin may not be what they get when they arrive and we are worried that they will be placed in overcrowded accommodation, but will not be able to complain as they might lose their job” said Manuel Navarro, spokesman for the UGT union in the Canaries.
The unions challenged the employers over media comments that construction workers in the Canaries are prone to taking days off, with a high number being “professional absentees” that cost the sector a fortune.
