Getafe University Hospital is facing a crisis due to the indefinite strike by cleaning staff, who are demanding better wages. The situation is worsening with the accumulation of waste in its facilities.
An indefinite strike by the cleaning staff at Getafe University Hospital has begun to severely affect the sanitary conditions of the centre. The workers, employed by OPTIMA Facility Services, have decided to stop their work due to a stalemate in collective bargaining negotiations that has been ongoing since January 2024. This mobilization has led to garbage bags piling up in the hospital's rooms and hallways, posing a risk to public health.
The Comarcal Union of CCOO of Madrid has reported that this situation is a direct consequence of the systematic blockage by the management, which has refused to grant wage and labour improvements under the recurring argument of lack of budget. In light of this lack of response, the workers held daily demonstrations for over two months to highlight their precarious working conditions before deciding to call for the indefinite strike.
Despite not being the direct employer, the employees consider the Madrilenian Health Service (SERMAS) and the hospital management as the ultimate responsible parties for the conflict. According to them, the hospital has the legal capacity to authorize the necessary financial allocations to resolve this crisis. However, they have not received any official assessment on the matter so far.
The workers also criticize having to perform essential duties in a hospital environment with completely frozen salaries and facing abusive minimum services. The general secretary of CCOO Sur, Ángela Hernández, emphasized that such protests are not isolated and reflect a deep crisis in the current indirect management model that severely affects healthcare centres throughout the Community.
As this indefinite strike progresses, conditions within the hospital could deteriorate further if an agreement is not reached soon. Patients and families must remain alert to possible changes in the services offered while this labour conflict persists.
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