8 March, 2010
ICEM’s Spanish affiliates in the Chemicals industry have agreed a renewal of the collective agreement for the sector. The previous agreement expired in December 2009. The agreement, signed 9 February by ICEM affiliates FITEQA-CC.OO. and FIA-UGT, was described by CC.OO.’s Communications Officer Fernando Lezcano, as a model to be followed by others in overcoming the financial crisis.
The Agreement will be valid for three years, from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2012.
The economic and financial crisis caused the loss of 1.5 million jobs in Spain over the last 18 months, making negotiations between business and trade unions more significant. Spain is now in its seventh consecutive quarter of recession and unemployment is at 4 million for the first time in Spain’s history.
The unions accepted the limitations of what could be achieved in the negotiations, but prioritised commitments on job stability and changes that would stop the rise of precarious work. The new agreement recommends that local collective agreements place emphasis on permanent jobs and a reduction of temporary work. Also equal opportunities for women and young people must be prioritised. These issues will be continually negotiated on during the period of the agreement, in the newly-created Follow-up Committee.
Factors such as re-distribution of work, shorter working hours, and a program of partial retirement along with replacement contracts, are seen as important tools to avoid redundancies.
Wage policies for the next three years were agreed by the trade unions and employers’ organizations, raising salaries by 2.5% over the three years of the agreement.