We want to decide collective bargaining here

Jun 27, 2016

ELA wants workers to be able to decide our working conditions here. In contrast, the State takeover of collective bargaining will result in an increase of job insecurity and poverty in our society. ELA has deployed a far-reaching information campaign, with a large-scale distribution of documentation in companies, in order to address the disastrous consequences of the State takeover.

Along with the Secretary General, Adolfo Muñoz “Txiki", the collective bargaining and the gender and equality officials, Joseba Villarreal and Leire Txakartegi, also took part in the presentation of the campaign in Bilbao this morning.

Muñoz stressed that “the State takeover of collective bargaining impoverishes working conditions and violates trade union freedom", at the same time as he reiterated that "ELA is going to fight to return the right to decide about their working conditions to the workers". Muñoz claimed collective bargaining is an instrument to distribute wealth and went on to explain that “there is no self-government without collective bargaining”.

The Secretary General denounced that “Basque neo-liberalism prefers Spanish agreements that are cheaper” and that the Basque Government is imposing their application in outsourcing to drive the cuts.

In turn, Villarreal recalled how in the case of the hospitality sector, the state agreement establishes a loss of earnings of 50% and an increase of 50 more working hours a year.

Txakartegi stressed that “the State takeover heightens poverty and the job insecurity that women suffer”, as it particularly affects the service sector, where women account for 88% of workers. “The salary gap between men and women increases with State takeover, which is already 33%," she stressed.