The subcontractor has not paid the cleaners of the National Library for almost three months: “We are desperate”
Two months without charging and a few days before the third is due. This is what National Library cleaners, who rely on subcontractor DLR Facility Services, are collecting in “desperate” circumstances. The company was founded in 2012 by an entrepreneur Angel of Ruawho recently created an ultra-conservative media group and From Vox’s orbit, average judgment, with such figures as Alfredo Urdac and Albert Castillon, among others. “There are people who are going to lose their homes because they can’t pay the rent. We are desperate, this is an extreme situation for many comrades and fellow travelers,” Raquel Martínez, a public institution cleaner and UGT delegate, denounced.
The cleaners have played one-hour strikes on alternate days this month, which will be seen this Wednesday with a concentration in front of the Madrid headquarters at 9am. Although the company does not pay them, the employees must go to their posts. “It’s very difficult to come to work every day without being paid, because if they don’t, they can be fired,” warns Martinez, who recalls that the employees have “more than 20 years” of tenure.
DLR company sources reply that they hope “to be able to pay everything they owe by the end of this week”. Employees want to take their word for it, they say, “I hope so, but we’ve heard this before and it hasn’t happened.” A few days before the end of November, the workers are already considering going one step further. “An indefinite strike will be announced next month” if they don’t get the next paycheck, says the workers’ representative.
Delays “from the beginning”
“Since the start of the award in October 2021, DLR has not been paid on time. They had to enter the salary on the 30th of every month and this was an exception. There was always some problem, some excuse, and they paid us late: on the 7th, on the 15th… until they stopped us, and it’s been almost three months,” explains Raquel Martinez. Similar cases were also registered in the City Council of Madrid, where the company was awarded cleaning in the area of families, equality and social welfare, as condemned by the CCOO a few months ago, and in the city of Torrelodones. Council, among others.
The UGT delegate laments that DLR has received a public service award, “a loss-making company” (almost -€45,000 in 2021, yet over €300,000 in profit in 2020). “The delay and this practice was known to their workers, you just have to look online and there are previous cases,” lamented the employee. However, in the past year, De la Rúa’s companies have added multiple public service awards, as seen in the state contracting platform.
Patrimonio Nacional explained that it “deeply regrets” the non-payment situation of DLR, with which the termination procedures have already begun. The service was awarded with “an open process, maximum guarantees of transparency and management”, they note.
Company sources confirm that DLR is going through a “difficult situation” due to “third party debts and delays”, among which the company highlights the “public administration” and specifically Patrimonio Nacional. This is categorically denied by the public body of the Ministry of Culture. “The National Library has paid each cleaning service bill on time and has expressed its concern from the beginning about the non-payment of salaries to contract employees,” they told elDiario.es.
A staff representative shares the National Library’s version of what it believes is trying to remedy the situation. “Inheritance pays, but that state money will not pay us, we don’t know where, but not our salary,” he criticizes.
Fear of breach without paying staff
In the midst of this labor storm, Angel de la Rua, who He considers himself “very brave”. As an entrepreneur, “not unknowingly”, he left the position of the sole administrator of his company in the summer. The businessman says he is focused on his new project, the ultra-conservative media group Decision Media, which promotes slogans such as “House of Values” And that he strongly attacks the coalition government (‘social-communist’) and highlights Vox’s actions on issues such as his ‘no’ to the yes-only law.
Cleaning staff at the National Library fear the company is on the last minute and is “holding off” on collecting service awards for so many months that they do not eventually reach staff.
“What we’re asking the DLR to do is if you can’t pay, walk away. Let him leave voluntarily so that another company can come in who can pay our wages. Because it leads us to a situation where we are tied hand and foot. There are colleagues who are going to lose their homes, who depend only on this salary at home, who do not have enough food to pay for the subway. This is the situation,” says Raquel Martinez.
At DLR they admit to these means that around “67%” of their just over 250 workers are currently experiencing payroll issues. “It’s a very difficult situation,” said company sources, who claim they are trying to overcome the situation and “pay all the money” to employees. As for terminating the contract so cleaners can collect, DLR says it “appreciates the possibility” but “terms have to be seen”, they add.
Source: El Diario
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