After a week of a garbage strike, where street sweepers and garbage collectors are protesting plans for layoffs (some 1,000 jobs of 6,00o in total) and pay cuts (up to 40% of salaries), the city of Madrid is starting to look something like Times Square the morning after New Year’s Eve. Everywhere you look and walk there are shreds of paper, cans, boxes, random items of clothing, pieces of furniture, junk and rotting debris. There are huge piles of rubbish overflowing from garbage cans and recycling bins making even walking down sidewalks impossible.
Today marks one week since the garbage strike started on November 5th and there is no end in sight as talks continue. Ana Botella, the mayor of Madrid, is doing nothing as she feels it’s better to let the private garbage removal companies and workers handle the issue (hence the discontent of citizens and their plea for her to step down as seen in the graffiti).
Today marks one week since the garbage strike started on November 5th and there is no end in sight as talks continue. Ana Botella, the mayor of Madrid, is doing nothing as she feels it’s better to let the private garbage removal companies and workers handle the issue (hence the discontent of citizens and their plea for her to step down as seen in the graffiti).