After six days of strike in recent weeks, the trade unions have decided to speed up the mobilisation phase in the face of the attitude of those responsible for the metal management of Bizkaia. Thus, on this occasion, the trade unions LAB, CCOO, UGT, ESK, CGT and CNT announced at a press conference the call for a weekly strike from 28 November to 2 November diciembre.ELA is also willing to organize further mobilizations.

They say that after the very extensive monitoring of the last stops and the firm attitude of the workers, they sent a clear message to the FVEM employers: "If, at the next meeting, the sector is still not listened to and there are not enough content to reach an agreement, the conflict will be hardened and a week-long call for a strike will take place."

But at that meeting on Tuesday, the employers have "missed" the opportunity, according to the unions: "Attend the meeting with a minimal improvement, a wage increase of one percentage point, without guaranteeing the purchasing power in the tables and maintaining delays in flexibility, minimum guarantee and temporary incapacity supplements," they explain.

FEVM warns that the proposed wage hike has improved "for the fifth time", but that unions remain "invariable" and carry "a blackmail strategy".

High performance of metal companies

Against this background, the convening trade unions have provided data on the profits accrued by metal companies. Marta Ayala, representative of CC.OO. Euskadi says Tecun has earned 3 million euros, Sidenor 25 million, Arteche 9 million and Ormazabal 11 million.

Iratxe Azkue, from LAB, warns of what can happen in the future: "If, after these five days of strike, the FVEM continues with the same attitude, what is clear is that the conflict will become tougher." Thus, they do not rule out the indefinite strike.

In the last strike cycle the tension increased a little, two were arrested and the workers denounce the aggressiveness of the Ertzaintza against the pickets. However, they stated that the continuity was 85% and that it had a great impact on the supply, for example, paralyzed the Mercedes plant.