Pimec Autònoms – dependent on the Pimec employers’ association – agreed with the Uatae association of self-employed workers to distribute “proportionally to the representation provided” of the “resources obtained” by both organizations in the calls for subsidies for the activities of self-employed workers, as stated in an agreement signed in Madrid in August 2021 by the two parties. Four months later, Uatae (with the support of Pimec Autònoms) obtained a subsidy of 266,123 euros that is being investigated by a Madrid court for alleged “subsidy fraud” and “crime of document falsification.”
Last week, when the case emerged, Pimec published a statement in which it assured that the organization “has not requested the subsidy referred to in the news” nor “has it been a beneficiary of any financial amount.” Pimec sources admitted yesterday that the collaboration agreement in which the distribution of the subsidies obtained is agreed exists.
Uatae has defended from the first moment that when they became aware of alleged irregularities regarding the subsidy, they returned the amounts allegedly collected irregularly plus the corresponding interest.
The documentation that appears in the case includes information on the payment of contributions of the employees of the Pimec employer's association (not only Pimec Autònoms) that was provided to Uatae to process the subsidy under investigation. Pimec sources said that they provided this documentation because they were asked to do so.
Yesterday Pimec sources said that "there are documents provided by Pimec to Uatae that have clearly been altered or manipulated and, therefore, Pimec is a victim in this entire case and will act accordingly."
The origin of the dispute is the use of an allegedly false certificate about the Pimec employer association as if it were a self-employed organization registered with the Generalitat. The Department of Labor and the Ministry of Labor maintain that the aforementioned document is not true.
The court is investigating Uatae and Pimec, including the respective secretaries of both organizations, María Josefa Landaburu and Josep Ginesta. Pimec explained yesterday that they had access "to all the documentation included in the previous proceedings." The employer added that "it will continue its actions to resolve this issue through this judicial means to defend its honorability and that of its professionals."
