Santa Cruz Carnival Security At Risk Amid Police Dispute

Plans for security at the upcoming Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival, one of Spain's busiest festivals, are facing trouble due to a dispute with the local police. The CSIF police union has warned that there might not be enough volunteer officers to cover the extra shifts needed. They fear this could put the safety of the celebrations at risk. The union says this problem comes from Human Resources councilor Purificación Dávila's 'repeated refusal' to acknowledge how demanding and heavy the workload is for police officers during Carnival.

Jesús Illada, speaking for the union, explained that police work during Carnival brings unique challenges: very long shifts, dangers from huge crowds, constant night work, and significant physical and mental strain. The union argues that because these tough conditions aren't officially recognized, officers don't receive fair pay, enough time off, incentives, or vital protection. Police officers currently get an extra 200 euros for working during Carnival. However, CSIF believes this amount is too low for the huge effort required, whether officers are in the thick of the celebrations or doing administrative support.

Because of this, CSIF has urged the City Council to start negotiations immediately. Their goal is for the Human Resources department to officially acknowledge the demanding nature of the work, set up fair pay, ensure proper rest times, and boost staffing during the festivities. Illada warned that if the council continues to do nothing, the union expects a big drop in officers willing to work shifts under the current terms. The union representative also invited councilor Dávila to join police officers for a night during Carnival to see the challenges of the job firsthand.

Councilor Purificación Dávila, however, offered a different view. She explained that a Local Police Sectoral Board meeting took place last Friday, where officers' rest periods were discussed among other topics. Dávila stated that this proposal was approved with the backing of Intersindical Canaria, Asepal, and CC.OO., while UGT voted against it. The councilor clarified that CSIF, although present at the meeting, does not have a seat on this Board, and therefore did not take part in the vote or the official discussion on this matter.

Dávila maintained that city officers already receive a special payment for the demanding nature of Carnival duty, on top of overtime pay. She added that the issue of 'arduousness' was not brought up at the Sectoral Board meeting, and she has not yet received any formal request about it, nor the invitation to patrol. The councilor clarified that setting officers' rest periods is not directly her department's responsibility; it's a proposal from Police Headquarters that was approved by most of the unions represented on the Board. Finally, Dávila highlighted the 'exceptional work' done by the police during Carnival, assuring that the City Council values their efforts and is open to discussing any specific points unions want to raise through the correct procedures.