Today, April 27, it is 59 days since the workers of the Alconza factory began an indefinite strike at the Alconza plant. The company Norgestion, contracted by the Irizar Group for the management of the plant, has reopened the berangoztarra plant, for which it has used the workers who are not on strike. In view of this, the strikers have concentrated in front of the entrance to the building and the Ertzaintza has proceeded to retain and identify two of them.

On this occasion, when the demonstrators approached the plant, the entrance was already sealed by the Ertzaintza. "They were here at 05:50 in the morning waiting for it to arrive," said Business Committee spokesman Urko Herrera. Thus, at 07:00 hours, the concentrates have approached the sealed area and, with a banner claiming the return of the 25 workers, surrounded by ertzaines, they have waited for the offenders.

The workers, escorted by the police, have approached the plant at 08:00 hours and have been greeted with shouting of all kinds. At that time, there has been an altercation between demonstrators and agents of the Ertzaintza, who have held and identified two of the participants in the protest. One of them has been violently beaten by the agents, who have beaten him in his mouth and thrown him to the ground.

Aritz Azkona, head of the industry area of the right bank of the union LAB, has been one of those affected by the violence of the Ertzainas, accused of public disorders and injuries. "In the face of demands and complaints, I have been exposed; I have been thrown to the ground, I have been beaten and they want to take advantage of what has happened these days to mount an assembly against me," he said.

In view of this, the union member has stressed that the problem of the berangoztarra plant cannot be solved in this violent manner and has asked the Irizar Group and the Basque Government "if those responsible are in favour of the future and employment of Alconza", to suspend the 38 redundancies planned and to work to develop a "real" industrial plan.

The management of the Irizar Group has submitted an employment regulation dossier (ERE) for the Alconza plant in Berango, which would result in the dismissal of 40% of the workforce, i.e. 38 people. Faced with this, and in order to denounce the "bad management" of the company since it bought the berangoztarra plant in 2013, the workers stopped the machines and started an indefinite strike on 28 February. The company has executed the redundancies of 25 of the workers who continue in the company.