Josep Sánchez Llibre, president of Foment del Treball, has gathered 350 endorsements, which represent 70% of the possible votes, with which he is guaranteed re-election. The elections are scheduled for next July 18, although except for surprises there will only be one candidate.
Sánchez Llibre, accompanied by some fifty businessmen and managers, yesterday announced the support obtained, which far exceeds the minimum required (50 guarantees). According to him, he specified that in the collected guarantees there is representation of the 22 territorial organizations and the 110 economic sectors that are part of Foment. He has not yet disclosed the names of his future board of directors, although he hinted that it will continue with additions to continue with the rejuvenation and to increase the representation of sectors of the new economy, technology, culture and sports.
Regarding the representation of women, he said that in the candidacy "it will not reach 50%, but it will be significant." Not so much in the board of directors, because that does not depend so much on the president as on the affiliated organizations that must designate a representative. The deadline for submitting applications is next Monday.
Sánchez Llibre reviewed the general lines of his program that focuses on reinforcing "Foment's lobbying work". “We have to make our voice heard before the institutions, whoever governs, and transfer our vision to the parliamentary groups to introduce proposals that favor our associations in the legislative changes that are taking place in Catalonia, Spain and the European Union ”, assures the program.
The objectives also include achieving the return of the headquarters of the companies that have moved, highlighting the role of companies and promoting the role of SMEs. "Because Foment is not only the employer of the large company, but through its organizations it represents 260,000 companies, most of them SMEs and the self-employed," he stressed.
The president of Foment considered that "there will be no choice" but to sign an income agreement to be able to "come out safe and sound" from the economic situation that is coming, which he defined as a "tsunami". He also insisted that this income containment pact must include civil servants and pensioners. "Many companies are working at a loss and that is unsustainable," he said before adding that wages should rise as much as companies can, but in no case can they be indexed to the CPI. Because, according to him, he assured, that could mean the closure of many companies.
