Spain: mobilization spreads after negotiations for the renewal of metalworkers’ collective agreement failed again in Galicia

After over 30 hours of uninterrupted talks, employers and unions from the Pontevedra region (Galicia) declared, on Thursday, June 11, that negotiations on the new collective agreement in the metal sector were suspended. Unions want 4% in 2009 and 4.5% in 2010, while employers maintain 1.9% for 2009 and the equivalent of real consumer price index in 2010. The weight of the metal sector is considerable in a region where the economy is mostly based on shipyards, auto components and PSA’s Vigo factory. After a first break in May, the last negotiation phase was characterized, since the beginning of the week, by several sporadic strikes and demonstrations. However, on Friday June 12, the UGT, CCOO and CIG unions called the 40,000 employees from almost 2,000 businesses metal businesses in the region for a strike to demand the restart of the negotiations. They were supported by employees in large businesses subject to another collective agreement, as PSA, governed by its own company agreement.
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ponents and PSA’s Vigo factory. After a first break in May, the last negotiation phase was characterized, since the beginning of the week, by several sporadic strikes and demonstrations. However, on Friday June 12, the UGT, CCOO and CIG unions called the 40,000 employees from almost 2,000 businesses metal businesses in the region for a strike to demand the restart of the negotiations. They were supported by employees in large businesses subject to another collective agreement, as PSA, governed

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