Since the arrival of a new head in October 2018, the work environment at the Calafell Property Registry has progressively deteriorated, culminating in a legal battle. This situation arises amidst an increase in real estate activity in the area, which had experienced significant growth after the crisis.
Two employees had already left their jobs due to stress-related sick leave, one of whom secured an unfair dismissal. Currently, five of the remaining employees are on medical leave after reporting an unsustainable work environment to the College of Registrars of Catalonia in 2023.
The head of the registry responded to the accusations with a lawsuit for defamation, insult, and coercion last March, claiming 60,000 euros. The employees, for their part, have filed a labor lawsuit for harassment and are demanding 60,000 euros each in compensation, in addition to the cessation of harmful conduct.
“"We intervened between both parties until the complaints reached the courts, at which point we no longer had room to act. We are waiting to see what happens."
The conflict began in January 2019, a few months after the head's incorporation, when he expressed his intention to extend working hours. According to the employees' lawsuit, an attempt to de-escalate the situation ended with one employee being shouted out of the office. From then on, anxiety and stress-related sick leaves began.
The employees describe a
very toxic
work climate, with a pattern of unpredictable and hostile behavior from the head, which included
outbursts of anger
and a
climate of fear and insecurity
. The labor lawsuit refers to behaviors consistent with psychological harassment or mobbing.
The head, for his part, denies the allegations and argues that the lack of prior complaints to the Labor Inspectorate or other bodies, as well as positive results from workplace climate surveys, demonstrate that the accusations seek to
undermine
his reputation and
pressure
for better economic and labor conditions. The unique organization of registries, where the head hires and pays employees with a variable portion of income, adds complexity to the situation, as employees have seen their incomes drastically reduced while on leave.
