Parque de Bomberos – Leganés.

Did Charles Rodriguez ever imagine he’d be on a hunger strike, fighting for the job he loved? Here at Parque de Bomberos – Leganés, the very air crackles with his struggle. This isn’t just a fire station. It’s a battleground for three bomberos, caught in a bureaucratic nightmare. Parque de Bomberos – Leganés was once a municipal fire station. In October 2020, it was transferred to the Comunidad de Madrid. Seventy-two workers, vehicles, equipment, even the land, all became part of the regional system. A cost-saving measure for Leganés, they said. Two million euros annually. But for Charles, Rubén Agudo, and Victor Manuel Rodriguez, it became a fight for their livelihoods. Charles, a 26-year veteran, was caring for his ailing father during the transfer. He asked for time to consider the new terms, like his colleagues were given. He requested information, trying to understand the implications. But the process moved forward without him. By the time he returned, the Leganés fire department was gone. Parque de Bomberos – Leganés was no longer his. He was offered administrative work, a far cry from the front lines. He was a firefighter, a specialist. This wasn’t his calling. Rubén’s story is even more tragic. He was on medical leave, a permanent but revisable status, during the transition. When he was cleared to return, he had no position. Neither Leganés nor the Comunidad de Madrid had a place for him. To survive, he took on administrative tasks. The work exacerbated his condition, leading to further medical leave. He’s a bombero, not a desk jockey. At Parque de Bomberos – Leganés, their protest continues. Charles, Rubén, and Victor, they are the three who were left behind. Their fight echoes within these walls. They’ve taken their case to court. Rubén and Victor’s cases were dismissed, the courts claiming they had ample time to join the regional service. Charles awaits his day in court, a day that’s been three years and eight months coming. Parque de Bomberos – Leganés stands as a silent witness to their struggle. A symbol of a system that sometimes forgets the individuals it’s meant to serve.