The North American fund Blackstone, a major player in improving the hotel offering in southern Gran Canaria, is indirectly involved in a serious labor dispute in southern Gran Canaria at a sensitive time, as it is negotiating the sale of its hotel division, Hotel Investment Partners (HIP). The focus of the dispute is the Hotel Abora Continental, managed by Lopesan, the former owner, whose management or ownership (through HIP) involves Blackstone.
The problem erupted after the Lopesan Group management sanctioned the president of the hotel's works council, Carmelo Suárez Rodríguez, with suspension of employment and pay. This measure has generated "absolute revulsion" among works councils and staff representatives from various sectors, who view the sanction as an attempt by hotel management to "silence the protests." Carmelo Suárez Rodríguez is a long-time leader in the tourism sector who has always considered himself a moderate, business sources told Maspalomas24H.
According to the statement issued by the workers' representatives, the sanction against the union leader is a direct response to the strike call at the hotel. The protests center on the imposition of "heavier workloads without guarantees of safeguarding their health and safety."
The document places special emphasis on the group of housekeepers, historically the most affected by overwork in the hospitality industry, which is run by part-time workers. The unions denounce that, despite the "greater profits" accruing to the sector in the Canary Islands, this comes at the cost of the "destruction and restriction of workers' rights."
The conflict takes on added significance as it coincides with the potential IPO of HIP (Hotel Investment Partners), the hotel platform created by Blackstone. A labor dispute of this magnitude at a hotel under its purview could pose a reputational and legal risk in Spain in the midst of a multi-million-dollar sale process, affecting the asset's perception by potential buyers.
The workers are not only demanding the immediate revocation of Carmelo Suárez's sanction, but also the cessation of "all repressive measures implemented" and a "call for solidarity and coordination" to defend the right to freedom of association and the right to strike, citing other recent examples of "employer repression" in the Canary Islands and nationally (such as at Grupo Kalise and Naviera Armas). The struggle is focused on preventing Carmelo's case from becoming a precedent that fosters fear in the workplace.
Blackstone is a global leader in real estate investment. Blackstone's real estate business was founded in 1991 and manages approximately $104.000 billion in investment capital. Since 2017, Blackstone's real estate portfolio includes hotels in the south of Gran Canaria, offices, retail spaces, industrial and residential properties in the United States, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Its major holdings include Hilton Worldwide, Invitation Homes (single-family homes), and premium office buildings in major cities around the world. Blackstone Real Estate also operates one of the leading real estate financing platforms, which includes the management of the publicly traded Blackstone Mortgage Trust.
