Wide support during the last two days of the strike against the State agreement

Staff from the textile and footwear sector in Guipuzcoa has seconded the sixteenth day of striking in defence of the provincial agreement. Once again, the workers have taken to the streets to demand that the employers’ association, ARTE apply the Provincial agreement, rather than the State agreement. There has been wide support for the strikes over the 4th and 7th in spite of the fact that recruitment has increased due to the Christmas and sales period. Several stores belonging to main chains have closed: Zara Home, two H&M stores, Oysho, Tezenis, Intimissimi and Mayoral.

Back in July, 2023 the new employers’ association ARTE, formed by the large brands in the textile sector, such as Inditex, H&M, Mango, Tendam Retail, Kiabi and Primark promoted the negotiation of the first State agreement for large brands in the textile and footwear trade. Since then, several negotiation meetings have been held in which ELA has requested the exclusion of Euskal Herria from the regional and functional area of the State agreement, a point that the employers’ association has not accepted.

If the employers’ association, ARTE’s State agreement were to be applied, not only will the working conditions reached thanks to the trade union organisation and struggle be affected, but the actual negotiation of the provincial agreements would also be jeopardised. ELA has announced that the mobilisations will continue until the employers’ association, ARTE excludes Euskal Herria from the State agreement.