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In what has been called “a dramatic escalation” in worker tensions, over 100 employees at the iconic Senator Marbella Hotel have launched an indefinite lock-in protest, barricading themselves inside the four-star property to demand job security as its management transitions. The action, led by Spain’s powerful Comisiones Obreras (CCOO) union, comes just hours after the lease held by current operator Grupo Hoteles Playa expired, threatening mass layoffs in one of Andalusia’s key luxury tourism centres. Lock-in protest has begun at Hotel Senator The standoff reveals growing worries over employment stability in Spain’s booming hospitality sector, where record tourist numbers, up 22 per cent in Marbella this year, contrast sharply with precarious worker conditions during corporate handovers. David Casado, president of the hotel’s works council, announced the protest at midday on Thursday, October 30, vowing, “We won’t leave until our contracts are subrogated under the new operator.” The squatting action hopes to put a halt to planned renovations by property owner Inmobiliaria Prico and force negotiations with incoming manager Meliá Hotels International. At stake are 107 full-time positions, including housekeeping, front-desk, and kitchen staff, who face an impending collective dismissal via an Employment Regulation File (ERE), similar to “redundancy”. CCOO argues the layoffs are avoidable, citing Article 44 of Spain’s Workers’ Statute, which orders contract transfers in business successions. “This isn’t a company closure; it’s a refurbishment pretext,” said María Luisa Expósito, CCOO’s hospitality lead in Malaga. “We’ve proposed legal alternatives like an ERTE for work suspension, promising to rehire upon reopening under Malaga’s collective bargaining agreement.” However, negotiations have stalled, with neither Prico nor Meliá attending four consultation meetings or mediation sessions at the Extrajudicial Labour Conflict Resolution Service. The union accuses the tourism giants of dodging responsibility, blocking a resolution as the ERE’s consultation period ends November 8. The workers’ assembly voted unanimously for the lock-in, which also intends to delay Prico’s long-pending 2023 renovation permit from Marbella Council.Narbella hotel Hotel groups have not negotiated Hotel Senator workers “This is about protecting families in a sector that thrives on our labour,” Expósito added, stressing the protest’s goal to “unblock a crisis engineered by industry heavyweights.” CCOO has rallied institutional support, decrying government bodies for “turning their backs” on the workforce despite Malaga province’s tourism boom. Andalusia’s regional authorities are monitoring the situation closely. Tourism and Exterior Councillor Arturo Bernal assured, “We’re following the process with great interest; the Employment Minister is updated minute-by-minute.” The Junta de Andalucia, which promotes the Costa del Sol as a global draw, faces pressure to mediate amid calls for sustainable tourism policies safeguarding jobs. The Senator Marbella, a symbol of the town’s glitzy past, underscores broader challenges in Spain’s €200 billion tourism economy. With 90 million visitors expected in 2025, unions warn of “fraudulent EREs” eroding worker rights. CCOO urges sharp intervention to avert economic fallout in Marbella, where hospitality employs thousands. As the lock-in enters its first days, solidarity is growing. “Subrogation isn’t a favour; it’s a right,” Casado declared.
