The Spanish city of Malaga is holding its nose as garbage collectors strike over pay and working conditions. Locals are worried the mess will put off tourists.
Some media are already calling it “Costa Del Stink”.
The city of Malaga, a magnet for beach lovers seeking sun on Spain’s Costa del Sol, is holding its nose as garbage collectors strike over pay and working conditions.
#Malaga streets pile high with rubbish as refuse collection strike goes into second weekhttps://t.co/aLW6Lpcwehpic.twitter.com/ZOlRWjK1eM
— SUR in English (@SUR_English) March 8, 2016
Four thousand tonnes of rubbish have piled up on its streets since the strike started 10 days ago, and there was no agreement in sight as of Thursday (March 10).
Manuel Belmonte, a staff representative at the local rubbish collection company Limasa, said: “We have made two proposals in recent days, but management has rejected them, and today they’ve come up with another offer that is unacceptable.”
Locals are losing patience, and many are worried the mess will put off tourists ahead of the Easter holiday break. On Wednesday (March 9), hundreds protested against the strike, calling it blackmail.
City Hall said it would order a different company to do a major cleanup to protect public health and defuse the tension.
Rubbish piles up in Malaga on 10th day of refuse collectors' strike. Photo by Jon Nazca. https://t.co/y8FnQZKH9ppic.twitter.com/tigVonEmlj
— Sonya Dowsett (@ReutersSonyaD) March 10, 2016