UNITE HERE protest at a Blackstone-owned hotel in Wisconsin managed by the Hilton chain
The controversial sanction imposed on the president of the works council of the Abora Continental by Lopesan Hotel, owned by the Blackstone fund, has reached across the Atlantic. The labor crisis in southern Gran Canaria has escalated, prompting a call for international union solidarity. Faced with the wave of local support, the American union UNITE HERE has been urged to join the condemnation, given its well-known collaborative relationship with the investment giant Blackstone, owner of the Spanish hotel platform HIP (Hotel Investment Partners), within whose sphere of influence the hotel is located.
The dispute centers on the suspension of employment and salary of Carmelo Suárez Rodríguez, head of the hotel committee, a measure that unions describe as direct retaliation for calling a strike to denounce the increased workloads, especially those affecting the chambermaids.
A Trade Union Front of 64 Committees from All Sectors
The basis of the protest is a manifesto condemning the "violence unleashed" by the hotel management company. The document has garnered unprecedented cross-party support, attracting 64 works councils and employee representatives from across the Canary Islands.
The list of signatories covers a broad spectrum of the Canary Islands economy, demonstrating a rarely seen trade union unity:
Hostel and Tourism:
Monte Feliz Apartments (NORDOTEL, SAU), Cinco Plazas Apartments (NORDOTEL, SAU), Tres Vidas Apartments (NORDOTEL, SAU), Hotel Orquídea (NORDOTEL, SAU), Hotel Revoli (NORDOTEL, SAU), Hotel Abora Continental by Lopesan, BEX HOLIDAY HOMES (MEETING POINT URBAN HOTELS, SLU), D+ BEX HOTEL (MEETING POINT URBAN HOTELS, SLU), LEMON & SOUL LAS PALMAS (MEETING POINT URBAN HOTELS, SLU), SEVEN HOTEL & WELLNESS (AREA MARKETING PROMOCIONAL, SL), TUI ESPAÑA TURISMO, SLU (Fuerteventura), TUI ESPAÑA TURISMO, SLU (Gran Canaria), SHOLEO HOLIDAY HOMES and TAURITO WATER SPORT, SLU
Services, Security and Logistics:
AEROMÉDICA (Sta. Cruz de Tenerife), ATELCO FIELD FACTORY, SL (Gran Canaria), CIRCET TELECOMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURES (Las Palmas), CLECE SECURITY (Las Palmas), COBRA INSTALLATIONS AND SERVICES, SA (Las Palmas), SURVEILLANCE COMPANY CANSEGUR, SA, EULEN SECURITY (Las Palmas), IMESAPI, SA, LEM INFRASTRUCTURES AND SERVICES (ROAD MAINTENANCE), MENZIES GROUND SERVICES (Las Palmas), MOVISTAR PROSEGUR ALARMS (Las Palmas), OCON CANARIA DE TRANSPORTES, SLU, OTIS MOBILITY, SA (Las Palmas), SECURITY SERVICES KUO, SERVEO SERVICIOS, SAU (ULPGC), SECURITAS SERVICES (Lanzarote), SHUTTLETRUCK (Gran Canaria), SYNERGIES OF SURVEILLANCE AND SEGURIDAD, SA (ULPGC), SOMOTUR, SA (Gran Canaria), UTE LUMICAN-ELECTROMUR Lot I, UTE ECOCIVIL (Lot II), WANNER TECHNICAL INSULATION, SA (WTI) (Tenerife), WANNER TECHNICAL INSULATION, SA (WTI) (Lanzarote) and RÉCORD LAVANDERÍA, SL (Sta. Cruz de Tenerife).
Commerce, Industry and Distribution:
AIR EUROPA (Gran Canaria Airport), BAZAR SPORT (BASE STORES) (Las Palmas), CARTONAJES UNION, SLU (INTERNATIONAL PAPER), CANARY PHARMACEUTICAL COOPERATIVE (COFARCA), CTC OUTSOURCING, SLU (Las Palmas), DISA LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT, SL, DISA GRAN CANARIA, SL, ELECNOR, SA (Las Palmas), ENCUENTRO MODAS, SL (Las Palmas), KALISE GROUP, SA (Las Palmas), INTERCERVECERA, SL, NORWEGIAN AIR RESOURCES SPAIN, SL (Las Palmas), PERFUMERÍAS DOUGLAS SPAIN, SAU (Biosfera Shopping Center), PERFUMERÍAS DOUGLAS SPAIN, SAU (Las Arenas Shopping Center), PERFUMERÍAS DOUGLAS SPAIN, SAU (Triana) and PERLA CANARIA, SL (Sta. Cruz de Tenerife).
Health and Social Sector:
TENERIFE ASSOCIATION OF RELATIVES AND CAREGIVERS OF ALZHEIMER'S PATIENTS (AFATE), OPTION 3 ASSOCIATION (Gran Canaria), DIOCESAN CÁRITAS OF THE CANARY ISLANDS, EL PINO SOCIOSAN-HEALTH CENTRE (ICOT), SPANISH RED CROSS (Las Palmas), ELECTRIMEGA, SL (San Miguel Funeral Home), MAÍN CANARY FOUNDATION (Gran Canaria), HOSPITEN GESTIÓN AIE (Tenerife), LA SOLEDAD FUNERAL HOME, SL, and TALIARTE RESIDENCE FOR THE ELDERLY.
Cultural and Agri-Food:
GRANJA LA CUESTA, SL and the Gran Canaria Philharmonic Orchestra Foundation.
UNITE HERE
The call to UNITE HERE stems from the interest of Canary Islands workers in mobilizing Blackstone's strategic partners. The multinational investment company has maintained a public profile of collaboration with the hotel union in the United States, even reaching agreements seeking job security in hotel properties under its control. Now, the Canary Islands unions are asking that this influence be used to guarantee respect for freedom of association in Blackstone's hotel platform in Spain. The demand is clear: that UNITE HERE speak out against the sanction against Carmelo Suárez and cooperate to expose the practices in the United States that seek to "silence protests" against the deteriorating working conditions, especially when the Canary Islands union unity demonstrates such strength.
