Spain: technicians working in Telefónica’s subcontractor installation companies’ network go on strike in protest at deteriorating working conditions

Workers in businesses contracted to install and maintain Telefónica’s fiber optic network have rallied across the country in protest at “the constant deterioration” in working conditions. They argue that the reason for this is the successive reduction in contract renegotiations over the years between the installation companies and Telefónica. The CCOO and UGT unions joined the protest initiated by the smaller unions and who had already started negotiations with their respective managements. They are now calling for a further four days of strikes from April 22.
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Subcontracting and unstable working conditions. The former monopoly telecommunications company Telefónica has for a long time opted to subcontract out its network installation and maintenance business. Roughly 10 companies have taken on the work including Abengoa, Abentel, Cobra-Seirt, Comfica, Cotronic, Elecnor, ITETE, Liteyca, and Montelnor. These companies also from time to time subcontract out to further intermediaries. Overall about 15,000 workers are deployed and they have different types

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