- For these facts your partner, of Spanish origin, is also investigated
- It has been possible to locate 7 workers, all of Ukrainian nationality
The National Police has arrested an entrepreneur in San Sebastian, and investigates his partner, for the commission of alleged crimes against the rights of workers.
The investigation began in mid-May, when researchers from Group II of the Provincial Brigade of Foreigners and Borders of San Sebastian learned that several foreign workers, mostly Ukrainians but also Latin Americans, Russians or Tajikistan, were being employed under burdensome conditions and infringing labour rights by a construction entrepreneur of Ukrainian origin based in Gipuzkoa.
As a result of this information, the agents began the search for the workers, managing to locate seven of them, six in Gipuzkoa and one in Barcelona, all Ukrainians.
In their statements as victims, they said they had come to Spain driven by the war in their country, some alone and others with their wives and children. Already in San Sebastián, having no residence permit, they had to carry out various precarious jobs until some member of the Ukrainian community settled in the Basque Country recommended them to work for a compatriot of theirs who ran a construction reform company.
In the interview with this businessman, he promised them employment contracts to regularize their situation in Spain and a salary in accordance with the labor agreement, however, although he was aware that some of them lived in rental rooms for 350 euros, he only made micro cash payments throughout the month for a total of about 500 euros, being practically insufficient to cover basic maintenance needs and without ever being discharged in Social Security.
In this sense, he did not give them the full payroll, claiming that the clients did not pay him, and if they got sick and could not go to work, he did not pay them the days they had gone, telling them that if they did not work, they did not pay. Some of them said that he made them work between twelve and thirteen hours without giving up any day of the week or only on Sundays.
Regarding the prevention of occupational hazards, they explained that, despite having to do work at height, they never provided them with any personal protective equipment (PPE), and if they complained about this, he told them to be careful and nothing would happen to them.
In case they had an accident, I would instruct them to tell that it had occurred in another circumstance, but never at work. In this regard, one of the workers explained that he knew that a colleague who worked on a roof without EPI suffered a fall working for which he fractured his hip.
In addition, they reported that this man usually yelled at them and threatened to deport them to go to war if they did not bow to his will. Likewise, they told the researchers that on more than one occasion they were seen by the work where they worked accompanied by a man of Spanish origin who was possibly their partner.
Finally, on June 15, after collecting sufficient evidence, this Ukrainian businessman was arrested and, after being heard in a statement, released with the obligation to appear before the corresponding court. Likewise, on the 16th, after being summoned as an investigator, a statement was also made to his Spanish partner.
It should be noted that at present the seven victims have their administrative situation regularized in Spain, almost all of them having temporary residence permits due to exceptional circumstances arising from the war in their country.