Many lifeguards in Santa Eulària, Ibiza, are living in vans and caravans due to the high cost of housing. The situation is so commonplace that three out of the four lifeguards interviewed by a local media outlet were living in vehicles for the entire season.
While the recent collective agreement for the aquatic surveillance and lifeguarding sector in the Balearic Islands provides a base salary of €1,335 per month for lifeguards, plus a transport bonus of €65, many are still struggling to afford housing on the island.
Despite the difficulties, lifeguards like Chelo consider their job a vocation and recommend it to others, but urge them not to pursue it solely for money. Housing remains the main obstacle in filling lifeguard positions for the Red Cross.
For the full article, please visit Diario de Ibiza website here.