Mitxel Lakuntza elected as the new secretary general of ELA backed by 95.02% #Indarbetean

In total, the proposal of the new Executive Committee gained 668 votes in favour; 27 votes against (3.84%) and 8 blank votes (1.14%). There were no invalid ballots.

The new Executive Committee is formed by: Mitxel Lakuntza, Amaia Muñoa, Amaia Aierbe, Xabi Anza, Maialen Aranburu, Iván Giménez, Laura González de Txabarri, Pello Igeregi, Mikel Noval, Leire Txakartegi, Eustakio Uranga and Joseba Villarreal.

ELA’s last Confederal Congress was held on the 15th and 16th of June, 2017. It hasn’t yet been two years since that Congress and the social, economic and political situation has not changed very much. Therefore, the speeches and resolutions adopted then are still topical. Even so, three resolutions were debated, with the idea of adapting them to the current situation and strengthening the trade union’s foundations. The three resolutions were unanimously approved.

Resolution against precariousness

Since the last Congress we have lived through some exemplary fights against precariousness, which give us clear signs of what the trade union could become in the future. If the trade union intends to continue being a useful tool for the improvement of living conditions, it must be effective in these spaces. The fights against the different precariousness models must take up more time and space on our agenda, where the future of ELA for the next decades will be decided. Ours is a project that organises the losers and the main losers are in the field of job precariousness. The resolution against precariousness will give us the chance to reflect on this subject.

Political resolution

ELA has been denouncing the attacks being suffered by our self-government for many years. But the seriousness of these attacks does not only consist of the mutilation suffered by our competences; the most important point is that in the current conditions it is impossible to change the relationship we maintain with the State. You only have to look at Catalonia. And if this were not enough, we are experiencing an incredible flourishing of the extreme right in the State. Under these circumstances, although it seems paradoxical, we are undergoing a phase of rejection and demobilisation regarding the national subject.

In order to turn this situation around, ELA is convinced that the sovereignist trade unions have a great deal to say. Sovereignty must win over society from the left and in order to do this, it is essential to have trade unions that work in favour of the interests of the great social majority.

Social model resolution

At the 14th Confederal Congress in 2017, ELA undertook to fight against racism and xenophobia. In fact, Euskadi is not an island, and we are not safe from these serious problems. The capitalist system continues taking the planet to its physical limits, yearning for a planet with endless resources. All of this leads to an unfair world, in a context where the rich are increasingly richer and the poor are increasingly poorer.

To turn this situation around, ELA has ratified its commitment to work in favour of another social and economic model. Xenophobia and racism are closely linked to the effects of neoliberalism. Therefore, when we fight against neoliberalism, we are also fighting against xenophobia and racism.