WORK FOR FREE

When unemployment rates are next to 25% lots of employers take advantage of the widespread anxiety about getting a job. The lack of political will of the Spanish government to stop this practice –quite the opposite- and the union’s weakness in the most of SME make easier abusing of jobseekers or workers. Let‘s see some samples.

The Journalist’s Association (AJ) published a manifesto some weeks ago denouncing the precarious working conditions of Spanish journalist. The association point out a large number of cases. The TV production company responsible of the program “Late or soon” (25^th TV, Barcelona) don’t pay for their programmes. In fact, the people interested in working for them have to pay 300 €. The firm argues that the programme is a very good stepping stone to be known all over the country. Fortunately, the most of media pay their workers.  So AJ underlines the case of a well known newspaper that pays 0’75€ for every short article. Not bad at all!

Carlos III University is one of the most prestigious university in Spain nevertheless has budgetary problems as many others in the country.  But the managers of the “UC3m” seem to have found a solution to the lack of money imposed by both central and regional governments. We mean the new contract of “Honorary Professor”. This new kind of Profs will have teaching, correct exams or advise students… for free. However the university fees to be paid for students have been increased.

Some weeks ago press agencies echoed the situation of a Brazilian immigrant in Coruña, the most important Galician city. He had been working as a waiter, 12 hours working time and no days-off in the last year only for tips. His boss owns several bars and restaurants in the city.

Recently “Pericial Selección & Headhunting” posted an “outplacement advisor” job vacancy at the specialised site web “Infojobs”.  Applicants should previously to take a three weeks training course given by the company. The most diligent attendant would win the job (no information about what kind of labour contract, salary, working time…). By the way! 950 € was the training course fee to be paid for every applicant.  That’s a new example of how employers abuse of desperate jobseekers.

Everybody living or working in Spain knows or suffers for these working conditions. One month ago the (very good up to now) state radio station “Radio Nacional de España” devoted a program to the plague of abusive job vacancies.  Nobody was astonished when a hotel asked for a Ph. D. in French, German or English philology to be hired as a receptionist and a 500 € monthly salary  As well as quite often part-time contracts hide more than 9 effective working hours.

That’s the reality of a country accused by the European Commission and the IMF of having a very rigid and expensive labour market.

• "Let’s see! Neither intermediaries nor unions! Let’s agree you and me freely your working conditions!"
• "Yes sir!"

(“El Roto” is one of the best known Spanish cartoonists)