Lifeguards from Maspalomas and Playa del Ingles in Gran Canaria, the main tourist destination on the Island are threatening demonstrations against the San Bartolomé de Tirajana Council claiming that they have “dire working conditions” and “months of false promises” with surveillance towers and medical outposts in “poor condition” on beaches used by thousands of tourists every day.
The latest data from ISTAC claim that in 2023 the municipality accounted for 2.06 billion of the 5.45 billion euros income of tourist expenditure on the island of Gran Canaria, but that none has been invested in people’s safety on beaches.
"We feel obliged to protest in June for our rights, our safety, and decent working conditions. We are not willing to endure another summer in dire conditions, people’s lives are at stake" they said.
They emphasise that the summer season will be very challenging because they do not have the necessary personnel or adequate working conditions to maintain stable surveillance on the beaches during the busy holiday seasons.
Much of the lifeguards' complaints focus on the poor condition of the medical centres and surveillance towers, and they are accusing the City Council of "hiding" everything that is in poor condition so that residents and tourists do not see it.
"They have decided to paint and place metal sheets on top of the rust," they claim, “they are patching up things that need replacing.” They also emphasise that they are still waiting for four new surveillance towers that were promised to them "several months ago".
