- After 19 days of strike, the majority union ELA and the employers have signed an agreement in the Guipuzkoan textile sector. Among other things, they have agreed on measures to ensure wage increases to restore purchasing power and the reconciliation of workers in working hours.
Despite the previous stoppages, since 28 December, the workers of the large clothing stores in Gipuzkoa were a constant strike in defence of their labour rights and in improving their conditions. Following the meeting held this Wednesday with the employers, the ELA trade union announced that they have signed a satisfactory agreement for the greatest demands.
They have been on the streets for wage freeze since 2009 and to solve the "imbalances" generated by temporality. ELA says it is a "historic" pact, as they will update the wage taking into account the sum of inflation from 2010 to 2025 (14.1%) and increase the wages of the next three years depending on the CPI, increasing this increase by another 1.4%.
In addition, a regulation involving improvements in working hours has been agreed with Adegi and the Gipuzkoa Traders Association to facilitate the reconciliation of workers. For example, the division of labour from Monday to Saturday has been determined and the agreement ensures that Sundays and holidays are a day of rest.
On the other hand, a time consolidation clause is added to the document, "which will resolve the excessive bias of the sector", explains the union. And online sellers, who work on digital platforms, will be given the same rights.
The textile sector in Gipuzkoa employs 2,700 people. However, in Euskal Herria they are not the only ones who have opened the fighting paths during this winter. In Navarre, H&M staff at La Morea de Cordovilla Shopping Centre have also been on strike since 9 December for the same reasons.