Strike looming at Tourist Office of Spain in Toronto

Employees at the Tourist Office of Spain in Canada are planning to strike on June 14-15, citing a long-term salary freeze as the reason for potential job action.

According to a statement by the tourist office, the salaries of the employees of the Tourist Office of Spain have been frozen for almost a decade, while officials of the Government of Spain, such as ambassadors, have seen their salaries increase this year.

In addition, the office states that the salary differences between the employees of the same category within various departments of the Spanish Ministries in Canada differ by more than 50 per cent and that the wage freeze measure has not taken into account the increasing cost of living in Canada in recent years.

The Spanish Workers' union said that the strike could extend to all of the North American tourist offices if a proposal for salary recovery is not received, followed by the possibility of an indefinite strike in the whole Foreign Service.

Calls to the Consulate of Spain in Toronto were not returned by press time.