In the midst of a moment of discreet (or non-existent) criticism of the Administrations after agreeing on the labor reform, the pension reform, the increase in the interprofessional minimum wage (SMI) or the National Plan for Industry in Catalonia, the Catalan unions have focused his attacks on the employers on May Day for their refusal to agree on a general figure for wage increases.
The loss of purchasing power of a good part of the workers in recent years has been the main complaint of the leaders of CC.OO. Catalonia, Javier Pacheco, and from UGT, Camil Ros. "It is necessary to distribute the wealth with the collective agreements", has raised Pacheco. "This is a May Day in which it is shown that class unionism works," said Ros, who has highlighted the agreements reached such as the labor reform, the rider law or the rise in the SMI, but has criticized the lack of a legislation to toughen dismissal.
The unions remember that the small rise in wages occurs at a time when company profits are growing. The most important demonstration today was, as is customary, the one called jointly by the two main trade union centrals, CCOO and UGT in Barcelona, and which runs along Via Laietana from Plaza Urquinaona. Similar demonstrations have also been called in Tarragona, Girona, Lleida, Terrassa, Tortosa and Igualada.
Under the slogan "Raise wages, lower prices and distribute benefits", both unions have drawn up a manifesto in which they denounce the bosses' blockade of agreements and attribute part of the increase in prices to "excess corporate profits". In the demonstration there has been a large representation of politicians, such as the mayoress Ada Colau, the Minister of Business Roger Torrent or Oriol Junqueras (ERC).
On Thursday, at the press conference prior to International Workers' Day, Pacheco and Ros highlighted the "positive balance" of the progress made in recent years (labor reform, updating of pensions or increases in the minimum wage, among others). , but they warned that a "problem" remains to be resolved: the improvement of wages.
With the Agreement for Employment and Collective Bargaining - at the state level - and the Interprofessional Agreement of Catalonia blocked, both have urged employers to abandon their "irresponsible" attitude and close agreements between now and the summer.
Otherwise, the majority unions are already preparing "mobilizations of a general nature" for the return of summer.
In Catalonia, there are two most significant agreements that must be unsettled: that of offices and offices and that of the workers of private companies of sports facilities.
The unions denounce the "indecent and scandalous benefits" of the big companies, which, according to what they say, transfer the cost increases to the final prices.
"Companies have passed on the cost of energy or raw materials in the final price of goods and services, especially food, in order to maintain the margin, and have caused the effect of these crises to fall on workers and on the lowest incomes", ensures the joint manifesto.
CC.OO. and the UGT add up in Catalonia to more than 40,000 delegates in companies and close to 300,000 affiliates.
Other claims of CC.OO. and UGT, beyond wages, are the fight for equality between men and women, urgent policies to face the climate crisis or provide solutions mainly to the youngest in the face of problems to have decent housing. "The real estate market must be intervened", Pacheco has assessed the recently approved Housing law, which he sees as insufficient.
Other more minority unions, such as USOC and CGT, also call demonstrations today.
