Businesses are to have Spanish speaking staff in Tenerife

[Nic]

I saw in the Canarian Weekly a couple of weeks ago that all businesses must have at least one member of staff that can speak fluent Spanish available at all time and failure to comply would result in a fine. Has anyone heard anymore about this or has anyone been visited by the powers that be and asked for a Spanish speaking staff member? I know quite a few places that don't have Spanish speakers available at all times so it seems this could be another money maker for the Government!

[timmylish]

tbh. I,m really surprised that this has not been introduced before. Good opportunity to employ retired people who also speak good English. Everyone,e a winner!

[CIM]

More backwards thinking from the government if true. Although how would they qualify a "Spanish speaker" - they'd have to come up with an exam or something and a lot of Canarians would fail a vocab/grammar test...

[Nic]

You wouldn't expect to go into a business in the UK and not be able to speak to an English speaking person so why should it be different here although saying that I stayed at a hotel in Crawley and none of the staff could understand me, maybe that's cause they were used to dealing with folk from landan innit rather than a canny Scot :D

[doreen]

It's in this Decree http://www.derecho.com/l/boc-canarias/decreto-90-2010-22-julio-regula-actividad-turistica-restauracion-establecimientos-desarrolla/#DF2

...on a quick read, I cannot see any fines stated

[CIM]

I think businesses should be allowed to speak whatever language they like. If they don't want to deal with people who speak the local language then that should be up to them. I don't deal with Spanish customers although I do collaborate with Spanish speaking agents. Logically it should be down to what people want to do though - free market and all that... If you dont want to provide a service in X language then someone else will.

[doreen]

Thinking of Tourism, which is after all the life blood of these islands ... visitors from mainland Spain are a very close second to those from the UK

[CIM]

So Spanish businesses should be pleased if the Brit businesses aren't competing for Spanish clients.

[reggie]

English, dosnt matter were people are from, belgium, germany etc, they all resort to english, americans speak english,can you imagine yanks saying, hey speak american when you are here, English number 1 language, everybody should speak it, save us all a load of trouble,

[with cheese]

English, dosnt matter were people are from, belgium, germany etc, they all resort to english, americans speak english,can you imagine yanks saying, hey speak american when you are here, English number 1 language, everybody should speak it, save us all a load of trouble,

Rubbish Darling, we do not want our brothers from Asia being totally fluent in our tongue.

[Tom & Sharon]

Well we're in Warrington at the moment, and can't converse with a lot of people here because we can't speak Polish!

[kangnkodos]

what a really clever idea that is timmylish,reversing the wheels of industry.thats just what tenerife needs in the current climate is retired people taking up jobs when there are so many able young people struggling to find any work at all.i am a self employed builder in tenerife and have been paying all the extortionate fees required to run a fully legal business here for over ten years and nothing winds me up more than the odd job retirement brigade.hundreds of honest grafters out here rely on work coming in just to survive so what right have these tax dodging,illigal bodgers got to go around quoting jobs for just a bit of spare beer money.and yes i do speak spanish and couldnt agree more with what cim says.

[TOTO 99]

I think we all know plenty of places, bars especially, that could never conform to this ruling. They're struggling enough as it is. The need to employ a spanish speaker "per shift" could mean paying an extra 2 or 3 staff. And what would happen to the existing staff? Someone would have to go to make way for the new person. I really hope it takes them as long as it normally does to implement this law.

[tonypub]

what a really clever idea that is timmylish,reversing the wheels of industry.thats just what tenerife needs in the current climate is retired people taking up jobs when there are so many able young people struggling to find any work at all.i am a self employed builder in tenerife and have been paying all the extortionate fees required to run a fully legal business here for over ten years and nothing winds me up more than the odd job retirement brigade.hundreds of honest grafters out here rely on work coming in just to survive so what right have these tax dodging,illigal bodgers got to go around quoting jobs for just a bit of spare beer money.and yes i do speak spanish and couldnt agree more with what cim says.
wooo,my new best friend.well said that man:mexicanwave::mexicanwave::mexicanwave:

[Goldenmaniac]

There are points about this that I feel are open to interpretation
eg
Exclusions from the present directive:
e) Establishments that provide catering services located within tourist accommodation and facilities which are considered essential (services) of them, in accordance with applicable regulations.

So Pool bars for example - are they excluded from the regs???

The the regulation itself

Artículo 7.- Condiciones mínimas.

Los establecimientos de restauración deberán reunir las siguientes condiciones mínimas:

a) Generales:

1. Disponer de salida independiente de la principal para la retirada de basuras del local.

2. Contar con personal que hable español.

Well that just says have Spanish speaking staff available

I have already put in place a phone service for clients with catering establishments, so that they can ring for a phone translation if a Spanish speaker trades person, official, inspector or client comes in that they don't understand, but obviously that's on a small fee paying basis - they pay me a monthly retainer and can have as many calls as they wish.

My interpretation says that is sufficient -they DO have Spanish speaking (subcontracted) staff available,
but I would be really interested if any of the legal eagles out there have a view point on that.

[Simon-M]

What happens if your spanish speaker on shift calls in sick? It's a completely unenforceable law. I can't see this getting through at all.

[9PLUS]

I agree that at least one person within a business should speak the language of the country that they provide a service in whilst that business is open.


If i was Governer here i would make it that every employer/ee should be able to defend themselves in the local tongue.

[tonypub]

so lets say a businessman comes along with 20million euro to invest,he goes to pay his opening licence and the clerk says"do you have the required amount of spanish speakers for your activity" the millionaire says"no".do you really think the clerk will refuse the activity?i certainly hope not for spains sake.this is a country losing money big time and negative/nationalist laws are the last thing spain needs at the moment.

[onelegnofeet]

Well we're in Warrington at the moment, and can't converse with a lot of people here because we can't speak Polish!


Just been to our local TESCO ,as per normal everything keeps being moved so i asked 21 members of staff .None of whom new what i was talking about .Ended up just abandoning the trolly ,thankfully not one that took a £1 coin...........Tight me !!!

[tonypub]

Just been to our local TESCO ,as per normal everything keeps being moved so i asked 21 members of staff .None of whom new what i was talking about .Ended up just abandoning the trolly ,thankfully not one that took a £1 coin...........Tight me !!!i went to my grans at easter,i asked why she had so many tesco trolleys in the garden.she said its ok there only a pound each.

[Goldenmaniac]

What happens if your spanish speaker on shift calls in sick? It's a completely unenforceable law. I can't see this getting through at all.

Sorry have I missed something? I have read the directive in Spanish - which is already law by the way -
Este Decreto entrará en vigor el día siguiente al de su publicación en el Boletín Oficial de Canarias

http://www.gobiernodecanarias.org/boc/2010/149/004.html
and no where do I see any mention that you have to have a Spanish speaker on call at all times

There is one phrase

Artículo 7.- Condiciones mínimas.
Los establecimientos de restauración deberán reunir las siguientes condiciones mínimas:
a) Generales:
1. Disponer de salida independiente de la principal para la retirada de basuras del local.
2. Contar con personal que hable español.

Which as I said before simply says the catering premises (and this ONLY refers to catering establishments) is to have Spanish speaking staff, the level of fluency, frequency of attendance is not discussed at all.

[Marjan Howard]

It's true, you need to have ''per shift'' one Spanish speaking staff member. They will come to see if you have, they did allready at ours (Balú), they offer free Spanish lessons (Securidad Social ) for all staff members who work for you. After all we live here and should all speak the Spanish language, don't we want that from people living in our country too?

[Angusjim]

I think businesses should be allowed to speak whatever language they like. If they don't want to deal with people who speak the local language then that should be up to them. I don't deal with Spanish customers although I do collaborate with Spanish speaking agents. Logically it should be down to what people want to do though - free market and all that... If you dont want to provide a service in X language then someone else will.

Andy you have enough difficulty understanding me and I speak the queens English :lol: ( mods can you reinstate the wee St Andrews cross flag in the icons )

[9PLUS]

so lets say a businessman comes along with 20million euro to invest,he goes to pay his opening licence and the clerk says"do you have the required amount of spanish speakers for your activity"



Isn't it one Spanish speaker has to be present at any one time?

You would of thought if some businessman invested 20 Million euros, they would already know about this through his Gestoria/Lawyer.............and adapt??


It doesn't half wind the locals up when they know you've been here for 20 years and can only order a Beer


Total lack of respect...


I remember how it was back in the UK when friends couldn't even comunicate with their Doctors etc etc etc...

[Peterrayner]

I saw in the Canarian Weekly a couple of weeks ago that all businesses must have at least one member of staff that can speak fluent Spanish available at all time and failure to comply would result in a fine. Has anyone heard anymore about this or has anyone been visited by the powers that be and asked for a Spanish speaking staff member? I know quite a few places that don't have Spanish speakers available at all times so it seems this could be another money maker for the Government!

I was discussing this with a bar owner a few weeks ago and its an existing law that apparently they have now decided to enforce along with separate dedicated staff toilets and showers ???? . Now where have I heard some thing like this before.

[timmylish]

what a really clever idea that is timmylish,reversing the wheels of industry.thats just what tenerife needs in the current climate is retired people taking up jobs when there are so many able young people struggling to find any work at all.i am a self employed builder in tenerife and have been paying all the extortionate fees required to run a fully legal business here for over ten years and nothing winds me up more than the odd job retirement brigade.hundreds of honest grafters out here rely on work coming in just to survive so what right have these tax dodging,illigal bodgers got to go around quoting jobs for just a bit of spare beer money.and yes i do speak spanish and couldnt agree more with what cim says.

Think you may need a change of lawyer then/h. Wait a minute. You probably cannot afford one, after payeing all these overheads so why not group to-gether with your new mate on here and divi the costs!

[kangnkodos]

once again another really clever idea,you should be a foreign affairs diplomat pal.

[russell]

hello with cheese now you have raised the point of our asian brothers speaking our toungue when you next come to the uk you will see that although the asian community are not all fluent in english they all seem to prosper quite well in the uk speaking english or not so language is not the issue.they are given the opportunity to have a go and they do so quite well.So im not having a go at you but just raising the point that you dont need to be able to speak the language to succeed just be given the opportunity to have a go and be tolerated.unlike spain where im told to do certain jobs you have to speak spanish.

[karinagal]

Russell, 'with cheese' is no longer an active member of this forum....

[amanda]

how rude are you my husband speaks better english than a lot of english here has passed advanced english exam like to see your spanish adavanced exam

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here here well said

[Medanoman]

one would have thought that speaking English was a requisite for the local police force in Las Americas but it isn't.

I see nothing wrong with staff being bi-lingual. It would protect the staff as they would have more chances of knowing their rights. Clearly if you are a bar owner it is not in your interest to have people who know the local employment laws.

But going back to the uk for a minute, Those that grimace over the pakistani, indians or polish not integrating should remember that when they go abroad they become the same problem in someone else s country.

[Balcony]

It's pretty obvious someone should speak Spanish in a business. Tenerife is Spanish, n'est pas? Sorry mon petit Inglesis, you must employ a Spanish person in case someone wishes to use your toilet, or ask any other anal question.

[Medanoman]

Same topic , but going on in England.

If they can't speak English then clearly they can't read it either. Therefore, how have they managed to sign a Contract of Employment or read the company's H & S Policy?

http://www.workplacelaw.net/services/forum/thread?id=4914

[princessmonika]

would it also mean, that in a spanish bar, also one of the staff has to speak english. otherwise it is discrimination , i think

[Medanoman]

would it also mean, that in a Spanish bar, also one of the staff has to speak English. otherwise it is discrimination , i think

No there is no obligation to have a foreign language spoke in a bar. Bit like going to Dublin and insisting that they have someone that spoke Spanish on the off chance that a Spaniard came in.

If the UK thread is anything to go by. Banning the use of a language in the work place or the shop floor is regarded in in the uk at least as discrimination. All staff should be taught the heath and safety concerns of the country concerned in the language concerned. Of course if you are Polish and don't speak English how do you know when a wall is about to crash down on you.

But this opens up a pandoras box. If a Chap from Madrid goes to set up a "flamingo bar" in Barcelona employing workers from Sevilla. Do the authorities in Barcelona insist that someone must speak Catalan? Knowing the Catalans i bet they do.

[Javi]

This year I had the opportunity to fly to Munich for a couple of weeks so I decided to spread out my CV. I could only hand five or six CVs in two weeks. Every time I knocked at employers' door in order to give them my CV and try to explain why I was there, they refused to take my CV arguing that my German was very basic. Even many of them didn't allow me to cross the main gate. It was a very sad and frustrating couple of weeks but I can understand the employers' point of view.