The UGT and the CCOO will mobilize on September 26 in all the capitals of the Spanish provinces in the face of the blockade of the CEOE and the Cepyme at the negotiating tables to reduce the working day from the current 40 hours per week to 37.5 hours by 2025 without a reduction in wages.
“The CEOE’s attitude continues to deny that Spain needs a legal reduction in working hours. This is a parody of the framework of social dialogue.“, assured the general secretary of the CCOO, Unai Sordo, this Wednesday during the Information Assembly on the reduction of working hours prior to the mobilizations that the two unions have called for next September 26 in the provincial capitals throughout Spain.
Sordo points out that the unions have maintained a “proactive” attitude since the beginning of negotiations last January to reduce working hours with the government and the CEOE, but that the employers are “in the bloc strategy”This is why the unions will mobilize on the 26th.
“We have held bilateral meetings (unions and employers) and trilateral meetings (Government and social agents), after a battery of protests from the Government, the attitude of the CEOE continues to deny that Spain needs a legal reduction in working hours and that all matters are resolved through collective bargaining,” explained Sordo.
This position was shared by the general secretary of the UGT, Pepe Álvarez, who stressed that the trade union organizations have tried “patiently” to convince employers and the government itself of the need to begin this process of reducing working hours, a process that comes 40 years after the last reduction in legal working hours.
Both union leaders argued that reducing the working day would lead to improved productivity in companies and allow technological advances to benefit workers. “Producing more is now done with fewer people, technological benefits must reach workers,” Álvarez argued.
Likewise, Sordo assured that the reduction of the working day would create more jobs in the medium and long term and would benefit business projects that do not profit from the exploitation of their workers.
Let the parties take a position
On the other hand, Sordo stressed that the mobilizations will also be carried out with the aim of the political parties positioning themselves in relation to the reduction of working hours and that the Government also defines itself, since the negotiation “there are not many chapters left”.
Along the same lines, Álvarez warned political parties that taking a stand against the reduction of working hours can have a political cost, as it is a measure that has a direct impact on people’s lives.
“On this issue, your honours, let them think what they want, but let them vote with the understanding that those concerned will have to revalidate them in the future,” he warned.
This is why Sordo indicated that the unions were closing meetings with different political groups, except Vox, to mediate on this issue.I wouldn’t rush into it and assume there aren’t votes for it.” he concluded.
The next meeting, postponed to September 24
“The CEOE’s attitude continues to deny that Spain needs a legal reduction in working hours. This is a parody of the framework of social dialogue.“, assured the general secretary of the CCOO, Unai Sordo, this Wednesday during the Information Assembly on the reduction of working hours prior to the mobilizations that the two unions have called for next September 26 in the provincial capitals throughout Spain.
