The head of Spain’s government met with social partners on 24 November, in a meeting which should have marked the reopening of the country’s social agenda. However, the encounter ended in deadlock and attempts to open social dialogue were short-lived. Spain’s new government, just one month having assumed power, now finds itself faced with a wave of trade union mobilisation. The CCOO and UGT unions have called on all social and political organisations to protest on 15 and 18 December, to demand an increase in the minimum wage, a minimum revenue guarantee for households below the poverty line and new steps to combat unemployment, instability and increasing inequality.
During the meeting, Mariano Rajoy outlined in advance the limits to social dialogue. He said there was little room for manoeuvre from a budgetary standpoint and that he would not go back on the labour reform and flexibility measures which he believes have begun to reduce levels of unemployment. The government is due, at the start of December, to present its proposals for activating the minimum wage. However, Fatima Bañez, the labour minister, has implied that the proposed increases will occur v
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