To date it was Lasarte-Oria (Gipuzkoa), the only one outside the inter-center committee of the Michelin multinational workshops in the Spanish state. The Vitoria factory is joining now. In recent days the agreement has been voted on by the staff of Vitoria-Gasteiz and on Tuesday the result of the referendum has been known: 2,405 people out of 3,443 voted (69.85%), 1,237 were in favour of exit (51.43%) and 1,143 against (47.52%). The workers in Vitoria were negotiating with the multinational in this inter-centre committee, but now they will have their own negotiating framework.

Winners and losers

It supports the maintenance of the Vitoria-Gasteiz plant in the inter-center committee. Just last week the multinational leadership announced its intention to reduce the plant’s production because of its “lack of trust” with the workers. The unions ELA, LAB and ESK, which have opted for the exit, denounced that the announcement of the management was to “frighten” the workers and “condition” the results of the referendum. UGT, CCOO and CSIF are committed to maintaining the state framework. It should be remembered that during the month of June there were four days of strike by the workers of the Vitoria-Gasteiz plant to renew the labor agreement: it opposed the proposal of direction by the workers of Vitoria-Gasteiz, but it was approved in the inter-center committee.

"The people who work in the Vitoria-Gasteiz work center will be those who decide how their working conditions are regulated, and not an inter-center commission in which the reality of the Álava work center is repealed by the majorities in favor of the company," said Lab, along with congratulation for the workers' result. "The referendum showed that the Michelin workshop in Vitoria wants to negotiate here and has to negotiate its agreement. It is only a first step in seeking better working conditions and regaining rights," said ELA.