Refuse and street cleaning workers in Orihuela have warned they are at breaking point and are considering legal action and possible strike action. A general assembly has been called for Monday, 19 January, at the RSU depot in the Puente Alto industrial estate, where workers will vote on the next steps.

The main unions on the works council, CCOO, UGT and CSIF, say the service has become increasingly unmanageable. They claim requests for a meeting with the councillor responsible, Rocío Ortuño, have gone unanswered for months. Complaints include unpaid overtime, a pay rise that has not been applied, and the use of an outdated agreement that has not been renegotiated.

Unions also highlight serious staff shortages, saying more than forty workers were laid off after the summer without replacement. They add that refuse vehicles are old and frequently break down, contributing to dirt and bad smells on the streets, while some repairs are not carried out because workshops have not been paid.

Further concerns include missed medical checks during 2025, an insurance policy that has not been renewed since 2023, poor workplace cleaning, and alleged breaches of health and safety rules. The situation has led to growing complaints from residents, with waste collection listed as a major local concern.