The agents of the Local Police of Santa Cruz de Tenerife have decided not to perform any extraordinary services until the City Council reviews their salary supplements, which have been frozen since 2018. This measure, adopted in an assembly, coincides with the summer season and has provoked a response from the chief commissioner that the unions consider a reprisal.
The tension in the Local Police of Santa Cruz de Tenerife has reached a critical point. The agents, fed up with waiting for a review of their specific supplements that have not been updated since 2018, have said enough is enough. In an assembly held last Thursday, the workers unanimously agreed not to perform any extraordinary service until the City Council truly engages in negotiations.
The decision, which directly affects the coverage of events and special operations, comes at the worst possible time: the height of summer, with concerts, outdoor activities, and the fire prevention device in full operation, especially in the Anaga massif. The unions, which have been demanding a negotiation table for months, believe that this pressure tactic is the only way to be heard.
The Commissioner Strikes Back with Organisational Measures
The response from the Chief's Office was swift. On Tuesday, July 7th, Chief Commissioner Juan Francisco Márquez issued an instruction titled "Organisational Measures During the Summer Period" which, according to the unions, has a clear tone of reprisal. It establishes that no permissions for personal matters or other similar nature will be authorised during the months of July, August, and September, except for duly justified causes and with express authorisation from the chief's office.
The instruction argues that the summer period involves a significant reduction in personnel due to holidays and an increase in activities typical of this time, making it necessary to adopt these measures for the strict necessity of the service. However, union representatives see it as a maneuver to pressure the agents.
Jesús Illada, spokesperson for CSIF in the force, was emphatic: "This is a clear reprisal. They don’t even allow us to request a day off for personal matters for three months. It’s a way of punishing us for daring to demand what is fair."
"They don’t even allow us to request a day off for personal matters for three months. It’s a way of punishing us for daring to demand what is fair."
A Key Meeting This Thursday
The conflict coincides with the call for an extraordinary sectoral table of the Local Police this Thursday, July 9th, to which representatives from the Human Resources and Security departments of the City Council and the unions are invited. The only item on the agenda is, precisely, the study of the salary demands of the agents.
The atmosphere promises to be tense. The unions have already indicated that they do not intend to back down and will maintain their refusal to work overtime unless there are concrete advances. Meanwhile, the mayor, who took on the challenge of mediating a few days ago, finds himself at a crossroads: to satisfy the agents' demands without upsetting the municipal accounts.
For the residents of Santa Cruz, the situation is worrying. The lack of extraordinary services could translate into less police presence at large events such as summer festivals or in fire prevention operations in sensitive areas like Anaga. The City Council has not yet made any public statements regarding the commissioner's measures.
The ball is now in the court of the sectoral table this Thursday. If there are no advances, the conflict could become entrenched and affect the city's security during the peak season. Meanwhile, the agents hope that the meeting will help unblock a negotiation that has been stalled for too long.
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