The firefighters make themselves heard in the center of Barcelona: "Difficult times are coming"

BarcelonaThe firefighters made themselves heard this Friday morning in the center of Barcelona. After a complex summer due to constant fires, up to 800 members of the corps, according to the Guàrdia Urbana count, left Plaça Sant Jaume and reached the Ministry of Interior, where they set off fireworks, smoke, and sounded their sirens. The protesters are demanding proper management of contaminants, sufficient resources, and the recovery of purchasing power, among other demands. From the CGT, Joan Vidal stated that the protest is not just about money: they want "more training, a real support structure, management of contaminants, or a real feminization of the corps."

Regarding the management of contaminants, Vidal explained to the media that the situation is "quite serious." "The last contribution from the administration was to bring us hand soap and some brushes," he claimed. He added that firefighters are exposed to potentially carcinogenic toxins and lamented that they end up cleaning the equipment themselves, when, according to Vidal, it should be done by a specialized company or people "with the appropriate training." He also predicted that "difficult times" are coming regarding emergencies, and for that reason, he demanded the necessary structure and resources to be able to face this situation.

Deafening noise

The protest began at ten in the morning at Sant Jaume square, called by the Firefighters' assembly and the main unions. Around 12:30 PM, after a slow march through the city center, the firefighters arrived at the Interior Department, which had been fortified and had lowered the shutters of the main entrance. There, they set off firecrackers and smoke of various colors, all under the deafening sound of sirens.

Precisely, at the Interior Department, a meeting was taking place between the unions and members of the department. Upon leaving, one of the union delegates stated that the meeting had started "very badly" but had improved afterwards. According to his account, they were given an initial proposal to reach the minimum salary that the Barcelona Firefighters have "but by extending the working day," something he asserted they will not accept. On the other hand, he said that they had been given an "imprecise" proposal for the management of contaminants and that the issue of volunteer firefighters had been discussed "superficially." All in all, he remained optimistic about the talks.

This Friday's demonstration is unitary, and the Volunteer Firefighters have also protested, claiming that they are all workers, and therefore they must also be guaranteed occupational risk prevention. On the other hand, the head of UGT Firefighters of the Generalitat and sergeant of the corps Antonio del Río has demanded that the Government comply with the agreements reached until 2026 and has stated that the corps is facing emergencies with structures "obsolete and weakened by years of underinvestment".

Del Río has also raised the need to create "a new national corps" that amalgamates the Barcelona Firefighters, those of the Generalitat, Civil Protection, and medical emergencies. "It seems utopian, but it is what a country like Catalonia needs," he declared. The sergeant also referred to fire stations "with three personnel on duty," a "saturated" school on strike, and the lack of its own training field. For this reason, he has demanded measures and future plans that provide a response to all these issues.