A Coruña is facing a serious waste management crisis as the city enters a state of health emergency. Mayor Inés Rey announced that starting Wednesday, a new company will be contracted to handle the accumulating garbage in the streets, following over a month of strikes from the current waste collection service provider, Prezero.
During a press conference, Rey explained that the decision to declare a state of emergency became necessary because Prezero failed to restore normal waste collection. The emergency status officially begins at 3:41 PM, marking 72 hours since the ultimatum was issued to the strikers last Friday. This declaration opens the bidding process for new service providers, which will last until Wednesday at 10 AM. The contract will be awarded to companies that can mobilize at least 13 vehicles and employ 32 workers.
The mayor stressed the significant health and safety risks posed by the current waste situation, acknowledging that although the legal timelines might seem long, they must be followed. The newly contracted company will begin operations immediately and will continue until the health emergency is resolved. A Coruña’s city council has also set up an Emergency Monitoring Commission to address the ongoing situation.
Rey described the strike, which began on June 24, as a form of “blackmail” against the city, citing violent incidents over the weekend that resulted in significant property damage, including around €280,000 in losses and nearly 100 destroyed waste containers.
The strike, organized by the Cleaning Workers Union (STL), stems from grievances over unjustified dismissals, the outsourcing of services, and breaches of the collective agreement. The ongoing conflict has left garbage piling up on the streets, with some protest actions leading to fires in up to 15 containers, necessitating fire department intervention.
The situation in A Coruña continues to evolve, with city officials working to manage the crisis and restore normal waste collection services as soon as possible. For more updates, you might want to check reliable news sources or local government announcements.
Image and News Source: https://www.infobae.com/espana/2024/07/22/a-coruna-declara-la-emergencia-sanitaria-por-exceso-de-basura-los-servicios-de-limpieza-llevan-un-mes-en-huelga/
