The new hospitality agreement goes ahead despite the rejection of the CCOO and Menorca hoteliers.

PalmThe new hospitality industry agreement is now a reality, despite the rejection of the CCOO (Working Council of Workers) and the Menorca Hotel Association (Ashome). It includes a 13.5% salary increase over three years: 6% this year, 4% in 2026, and 3.5% in 2027. The agreement, sealed this Tuesday, includes other aspects such as the modernization of the agreement, flexibility in hiring, work organization, and weekly rest periods. The president of the CCOO Services Federation in the Balearic Islands, Héctor Gómez, called the agreement the "worst agreement in history," while the general secretary of the UGT (Working Council of Workers) Services, Mobility, and Commerce Federation—the largest force in the sector—José García, retorted: "It's the best collective agreement in history," he said.

Among the reasons given by the CCOO for not signing is the fact that medical examinations are mandatory and that the sixth day has been "sold out." This last point implies that, if employers require it, they can agree with workers to work an extra day and, therefore, not have two consecutive days off. "UGT is the party that sold out the workers. We've been trying to clarify issues all morning, but being consistent with our acronyms, we cannot sign," said Gómez.

Menorcan hoteliers are against it.

For his part, the UGT representative was critical of the CCOO's actions. "They are a very small minority, and yet we have supported them in everything we believe is good. More than half of their proposals have been accepted. It is the best hospitality agreement in Spain," he asserted. Regarding the Menorca Hotel Association, which did not even attend the event, the UGT lamented that the difference between what was agreed upon and what they were asking for is a 0.5% annual salary increase. "Everyone has made efforts and concessions," he stated.

The executive vice president of the FEHM (Mallorca Hotel Federation), María José Aguiló, praised the signing of the agreement, considering it a "good agreement" because "all parties have gained points" and have made "some compromises." She also lamented the actions of her Menorcan counterparts. "I find it shocking because they showed their commitment to the agreement. In a negotiation, everyone must make concessions," he said. Aguiló also considered the dispute between the two unions to be "an obstacle and a distraction," but still valued the progress made in modernization and flexibility in the sector. "We must continue working on occupational health, workload, and climate change," he explained.

Finally, after initial refusal, the restaurant and nightlife associations have also supported the new agreement. However, they have expressed their concern. The president of the Restaurant Business Federation of the Balearic Islands (FERIB), Alfonso Robledo, has been blunt regarding the wage increases. "They will kill off a part of the restaurant sector in the Balearic Islands," he said. The reason, also argued by the manager of CAEB Restauració, Tomeu Mas, is that this agreement "does not meet the needs of the sector" regarding wages.

In this regard, he stated that it will be "very difficult" to implement it, due to the "atomization of the sector." However, he emphasized that it has a "positive" aspect, as it opens up the possibility for the restaurant sector to opt out in future agreements. "A village or neighborhood bar is not the same as a tourist bar," he stated, illustrating the differences in profits, losses, and benefits between the two.