Agreement on on-demand transport in Fuerteventura

Strike called off by ALSA workers on the island

Workers and management at ALSA have reached an agreement that ends the indefinite strike announced by the drivers of the company’s discretionary transport minibuses in Fuerteventura. The protest, which was set to begin on 2 March, arose from complaints about extreme working conditions described by the drivers as “modern slavery.”

The details were outlined in a statement from the works council of Next Continental — the ALSA group company that operates this service — released by the council president, José Rodríguez.

The council clarified that the agreement excludes certain employee groups, such as:

• VTC (ride‑hailing) drivers
• Cleaning staff
• Administrative personnel
• Workshop workers

The workers’ representation expressed dissatisfaction with this exclusion, though it acknowledged that “the negotiating margin was limited due to the inflexible stance of management.”

According to the pact, a “Specific Commission” will be created, composed of representatives from both the workers and the company. Its mandate is to “analyze possible discrimination situations and review the condition of the vehicle fleet.” Additionally, the Contract Manager has pledged to maintain “direct communication with the workers’ representation to seek rapid solutions to any problems that may arise.”

The employees recalled the initial state of the vehicles after ALSA’s acquisition of Grupo 1844 and praised “the effort made at the time to improve the fleet,” but they note that “that effort has declined over time.” Consequently, they hope the dedication will be renewed and sustained until the vehicles reach an optimal condition.