In Los Montesinos, a community tied closely to the agri-food sector, the workforce at the agribusiness Soldive has returned to mobilization following another round of disruptions. After a brief pause, the strike has restarted as union representatives and employees push back against interruptions to production and the ongoing transfer talks that appeared to stall. Management had previously indicated measures intended to maintain continuity for the operation, yet workers and their representatives say a stable path forward remains unclear. The backdrop to these events includes a challenging harvest season that has left some crops less certain, and financial decisions that have ripple effects across the local supply chain. The central question for the workforce is how to protect jobs and preserve a steady workflow while external financial arrangements are renegotiated and the business mindfully manages risk within a volatile agricultural year.
The core of the dispute centers on the decision to terminate an early retirement plan known as an ERE for 23 employees, a move that came in response to the crop’s abandonment and the broader pressures facing the company. Following that decision, there were expectations that a transfer of ownership would stabilize the situation by ensuring continued employment for those already on the payroll. Those expectations were tempered when management later announced that an acquisition was being pursued by an investor group with commitments to preserving the company’s workforce and its operating status. However, despite that potential pathway, workers describe a process that has not delivered clear guarantees or a definitive timetable. The sentiment among many on the shop floor is that the promised continuity has not yet materialized in a way that eliminates uncertainty about job security, working conditions, or the future structure of daily operations. This has left employees wary and preparing for continued, organized action as they seek concrete assurances from the new potential owner.
Local union representative María Teresa Martínez has spoken about the broader implications of the investor’s stance, noting that a lack of explicit commitment to maintain all positions and to uphold existing terms of employment has reignited tensions. The sense among workers is that negotiations have faltered after the initial optimism surrounding the takeover waned. With that perspective, the Soldive team has resumed their demonstrations and stepped up pressure, especially in relation to how the business will be managed during the period of transition. Early efforts of the week saw workers returning to the fields, ensuring the company’s operations would not be outsourced to temporary labor agencies, a move that underscores the preference for long-term stability and direct employment. Plans for a public demonstration later in the day reflect the community’s engagement and the enduring demand for transparent decisions from management and the investor group. As the day unfolds, the workforce and their representatives emphasize that any future ownership arrangement must include clear commitments to preserve jobs, protect working standards, and sustain the local supply chain that many families depend on for livelihood, food security, and regional economic health.