Atende Ignores Labor Order on Off-Hours Uniform Duties, Union Claims
The Labor Inspectorate ordered Atende to cease requiring employees to handle uniforms outside working hours, but a union reports the company is still non-compliant and threatens legal action.
The Labor Inspectorate has told Atende, the company that runs the Home Help Service (SAD) in Santa Cruz, to stop making its employees pick up or drop off uniforms and safety gear outside their normal working hours. This order, given a week ago, aims to ensure these tasks are completed within the legal working day.
However, the union Intersindical Canaria (IC) reports that, despite the Inspectorate's involvement, the company is still doing this. According to the union, Atende is ignoring the order and continuing a practice that goes against their collective bargaining agreement, which states that materials should be distributed between 7:00 AM and 4:00 PM. The union says this ongoing issue amounts to unpaid extra work for employees and shows a clear disregard for the labor authority's instructions.
Because they see this as an unfair extension of work hours and a breach of workers' rights, union representatives sent a letter to Atende's management last Wednesday. In the letter, they asked the company to change its policy so that materials are distributed during the agreed times.
The union has warned that if the company doesn't make this change, they will take legal action, including filing another complaint with the Labor Inspectorate for not following the initial order. Ignoring an order from the Labor and Social Security Inspectorate, which ensures fair labor practices in Spain, can lead to legal consequences and penalties for the company.