THERE is a feeling of abandonment among the Spanish authorities as a result of this situation
Embassy and Consulate workers at Spain's embassies in London, Manchester, and Edinburgh went on indefinite strike as of Monday 14th March due to a lack of job security, pensions, and salaries under the UK's National Minimum Wage.
As a result of months of failure to communicate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Madrid, the Spanish diplomatic missions in the UK will be operating with fewer staff. Their demand for wage parity and pay increases follow years of the Spanish government's wage freeze.
Their purchasing power has decreased since their last annual salary adjustment in 2008, causing a sense of extreme insecurity and vulnerability. Moreover, they are subject to the effects of the cost-of-living crisis amid significant increases in inflation and National Insurance contributions while being restricted to three of the most expensive cities in the UK. Therefore, some salaries will fall below the UK's National Minimum Wage threshold after the next adjustment, causing real difficulties for workers.
Due to this situation, the more established members of the team have felt abandoned by the Spanish Authorities. In the absence of salary adjustments, some senior staff now find their salaries to be lower than those who have recently joined the team - whose salaries rarely reach 25k. Under these situations, they cannot envision a future at the Spanish Mission.
Workers from the four offices will demonstrate and picket at the Spanish Embassy in London's Belgravia neighbourhood on the initial day of the strike, today at 12:30 pm.
