Santa Cruz Home Care Staff Protest Misuse of Professional Roles

A new controversy has emerged within the Home Care Service (SAD) in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, where staff are raising concerns over job insecurity and the misuse of their professional roles. The works council—representing the USO, Intersindical Canaria, and CC.OO. unions—has formally complained about the working conditions at the company Atende, arguing that their technical expertise is being ignored.

The core of the dispute involves staff being repeatedly forced to perform domestic cleaning tasks that fall outside their job descriptions. Union representatives report that assistants are frequently expected to handle organic waste, such as used diapers or trash bags left on floors, even when family members or other caregivers are present in the home.

From a labor perspective, this highlights a growing problem in an essential sector where roles are often misunderstood. The regulations governing the SAD define the service as support for personal autonomy and basic care, not as general housekeeping. Unions argue that requiring staff to manage waste generated by others is not only against the rules but also undermines the professional dignity of the caregivers.

In response, union leaders are calling on service coordinators to step in and clearly define the limits of the service to families. They are now formally documenting these incidents to put an end to what they describe as a lack of respect for their work. If the situation does not improve, the works council has warned that they may take further action, stressing that the success of the Home Care Service relies on mutual respect between users, their families, and the professional staff.