Employers confirm their “unanimous” “no” to the reduction of the working day to 37 and a half hours per week that the government intends to approve. As the leader of the employers’ union, Antonio Garamendi, had already shown, the CEOE voted this Tuesday against the latest offer from the Executive, which proposed direct aid of up to 6,000 euros for small businesses in sectors such as hotels and commerce, and which now remain unresolved after the withdrawal of businessmen from the negotiations.
“The conclusion is that the CEOE and the CEPYME, due to their responsibility, cannot support this proposal,” maintain the businessmen, who accuse the government of “interference” in collective bargaining.
“Modifying by law issues which are the subject of collective agreements, such as the reduction of working hours, and which, in fact, are already agreed bilaterally in the agreements, represents an interference in the autonomy of collective bargaining, enshrined in Article 37.1. of the Constitution,” adds the employer’s statement.
At the start of the morning, while the “no” from the CEOE was already expected, the Secretary of State for Labor, Joaquín Pérez Rey, once again called on businessmen to “think” and adhere to the pact to lead to well the legal day. the maximum duration of 40 hours, approved more than four decades ago, to 37 and a half hours per week.
“In such a decisive reform for future generations, of more moderate working hours, it would be very important for the CEOE to participate in this great national pact,” declared Yolanda Díaz’s “number two”.
Joaquín Pérez Rey highlighted the government’s “efforts” in negotiation, after ten months of conversations in social dialogue to try to reach a tripartite pact. This delay has in fact meant that the first objective agreed between the PSOE and Sumar for the reduction of working time has not been applied: 38 and a half hours by 2024. Now the Executive will accelerate to achieve the final objective: 37.5 hours in 2025.
Aid to businesses remains on hold
The withdrawal of employers from negotiations with the government leaves the way open to an agreement only with the majority unions (CCOO and UGT), in favor of reducing the working day. As has already happened with the minimum wage or other measures that resulted in bipartisan agreements, Vice President Yolanda Díaz warned businessmen that abandoning negotiations would have a cost, keeping in mind mind the economic aid offered so far to SMEs.
Even if the Labor Party did not subsequently specify whether it would withdraw all the aid proposed, both direct and hiring bonuses in small businesses, it clarified that in a negotiation only with the unions, the “geometry » of the agreement is different due to the interests at stake.
The priorities of CCOO and the UGT are the reduction of the working day, as well as the strengthening of time recording so that it is truly effective, as well as the guarantee of the right to digital disconnection. Subjects on which they agree with the Ministry of Labor, which has proposed toughening sanctions in the event of non-compliance with the recording of working time.
The pact with the unions should therefore be simple, but the executive will have to pass an additional test for the reduction in working hours to ultimately be approved: garnering political support for the legislation in Parliament.
