Spanish Limbo land.

[Guanche]

The news seems to be focusing on the growing numbers of people in Spain living in limbo land. They have jobs but don't get paid. Since the employers will not pay them or give them the sack they cannot get unemployment benefit. This growing army is getting more and more vocal and has been reported in the news over the last couple of days. Let down by their employers and the government they live in limbo.

Just a side comment. It was reported today that the Minister for Employment was allowed to escape a building unmolested by the press.....they had been locked into or prevented from leaving the building!!!! Freedom of the press Spanish style.

[Janet]

It's an absolute disgrace and it is everywhere. Here in Tenerife, lifeguards on Arona beaches haven't been paid for months. Bin men are in a constant state of needing to strike to get back pay ... which at least usually brings them up to 6 months in arrears ...

There are constant stories about hotel workers working without pay for months, and sometimes even Titsa staff.

If these people resign, they cannot get paro, and if they stay in "work", they cannot get money.

What a bloody country. 

[Guanche]

It seems that the only response from those in power is to say 'Everything is going to be all right' and then stick their heads back in the sand!
One thing for sure it's going to get a lot worse. Wait till the summer!

[Michael]

The thought occurs that sooner or later this is going to come back and bite the relevant employers firmly on the arse. 

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

One has to hope so.

[Guanche]

The thought occurs that sooner or later this is going to come back and bite the relevant employers firmly on the arse. 

This is the problem Michael, it doesn't I will give you a typical example. It happens to be one of my sister in laws but believe me this is the norm.

She is the manager of a bridal shop in La Laguna. Worked there for 30 years. The business in going down the tubes and has been for the last few years. During that time she has only been paid when the owner sells something. Pay packets of 15€ or 50€ are the norm. He might come in and give her 100€ one month but nothing the next. So it goes.

He will not sack her because of the redundancy package he will be saddled with and that dosent go away. So he keeps her on in...Limbo The thing is the business is in his mothers name who is 65 this year. We are told that due to a quirk in Spanish labour laws she can retire at 65 and close the business and not be saddled with any redundancy payments. So thats what they are doing just keeping the sister in law working until the old woman passes 65, good night Vienna.
Of course the sister in law has sought legal advice and that was. Start proceeding against him/her but don't expect anything in you life time, if they offer you anything snatch their hands off, other than that theres not a lot to be done' That was the advice and that cost her 200€ for the privilege of taking him to court........ to get nothing.

He even said to her the other day I will transfer you to another shop with stairs in, the sister in law has dicky knees, then you can go sick and............ The bastard has got rid of her on the cheap.

This is just one example and I could give you many more. On a slightly different tack. For me this is why the EU is destine to fail, because some of the richer countries have no idea how the poorer countries work. I have told people in the UK whats it's like and they find it hard to believe.

[Janet]

We are told that due to a quirk in Spanish labour laws she can retire at 65 and close the business and not be saddled with any redundancy payments.

This is true, and as far as I'm aware, the only time redundancy payments aren't obligatory if a proprietor closes a business.

Even where they're obligatory, though, actually getting the money is a different story ...

[Perikles]

. ..until the old woman passes 65,

Oi! tactless 

. He even said to her the other day I will transfer you to another shop with stairs in, the sister in law has dicky knees, then you can go sick and............ The bastard has got rid of her on the cheap.

Well, he might be a bastard anyway, but on the info given he might just be as much of a victim of these crazy labour laws as your sister-in-law is. If the shop is failing, what choice has he got?

[Guanche]

This is true, and as far as I'm aware, the only time redundancy payments aren't obligatory if a proprietor closes a business.

Even where they're obligatory, though, actually getting the money is a different story ...

Well at the moment the chances of any one getting their full lawful redundancy package or even part of it in Spain I would say is zero.

I truly believe that one of the biggest secrets in Euroland is how individual countries treat their people. Can you imagine the up roar in the UK if they had the same benefits as Spain. A 50 year old man made redundant through no fault of his own. He's put on the dole for two years which is reduced every couple of months. He still has to pay his full council tax community charge prescriptions, everything. Then after two years he's given 350 pounds a month and told to go away. The only way to survive is visiting the food bank and money off the family, thats if they have jobs! If the man has a mortgage!!!!!

Ok the unemployment rate in the UK is under 8% so he would get a job . But in Spain it's 26%..... creek, up, paddle.


Sorry having  a bit of a miserable day today!

[Janet]

I agree with you G.