The Sevillian town has accumulated tonnes of waste since July 1. The mayor, Pepe Solano, describes the situation as "dramatic" and calls for help from residents.
For eight days, the residents of Las Cabezas de San Juan have been living with mountains of rubbish in their streets. The strike by workers of the FCC company, responsible for waste collection, has caused a build-up of waste that, with temperatures nearing 40 degrees, has created a serious health and coexistence problem.
The mayor, Pepe Solano (IU), has acknowledged that the situation is critical. “It is dramatic,” he declared to EFE, and reminded that the conflict has been ongoing since July 1, when FCC employees began their protest. They are demanding improvements in wages and working conditions, and the mayor has denounced that, from the first day, the minimum services stipulated have not been met.
A long-standing conflict
Solano pointed out that the origin of this crisis dates back to the privatisation of the service during the previous municipal term, led by the PSOE. The Town Hall, he explained, can hardly intervene: “It is to mediate, to try to reconcile between both parties, between the company and the workers.”
This Tuesday, however, a preliminary agreement was reached that will allow part of the tonnes of rubbish accumulated in the municipality, which has about 16,500 inhabitants, to be removed. The Town Hall has also approved a proposal to impose penalties on FCC for breach of contract.
Emergency measures and a call for cooperation
The Town Hall has issued a decree with instructions for residents. The service of the Clean Point and the collection of bulky items is temporarily suspended, so residents are asked not to place furniture or appliances on the public road. Domestic waste should only be taken out on Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday nights.
For hospitality establishments, the decree reminds them of the obligation to keep the space occupied on the public road clean, with bins next to the tables and cleaning at the end of the day. The mayor has urgently requested the intervention of the Health Delegation of the Junta de Andalucía, which has already conducted an inspection. “A shock plan must be implemented to reduce the risk of diseases,” he stated.
The minimum services include two vehicles to remove waste from the containers and their surroundings, complemented by municipal street cleaning staff. The situation is expected to begin improving in the coming days, although the Town Hall insists on the need for the company and workers to resume dialogue.
In the meantime, the residents of Las Cabezas de San Juan endure the smell and sight of the accumulated rubbish, hoping that the agreement reached this Tuesday translates into a real cleaning of their streets. The municipal decree concludes with a call for respect and support for the workers in exercising their rights, but also for civic responsibility to overcome this crisis.
You may also like
