The industrial action by municipal employees of ELSUR in El Ejido, which began yesterday, has already caused areas of the town to be without street lighting and shortages of drinking water.
The cut in the water supply was during the day and affected about 70% of the town, a situation due to the draining of the town;s water deposits.
Traffic was also disrupted by various protests and demonstrations. Minimum service levels were not met due to the fact that a number of municipal vehicles had flat tyres.
The 400 ELSUR workers are striking over unpaid wages in the amount of €700,000. ELSUR is a joint venture company owned by the Council (30%) and Abengoa. The government spokesman, José Añez (PAL), states that the labour problems are between the company (ELSUR) and its workers.
ELSUR is one of the key figures in Operación Poniente, an investigation into corruption and the Mayor of El Ejido, Juan Enciso (PAL), is one of the main suspects in an alleged plot involving money laundering, embezzlement of public funds, forgery, bribery and influence peddling and has been behind bars for the past eight months.
The Opposition PSOE is demanding the resignation of the Mayor.