For decades, Mecaner has been an industrial reference in our region. Faced with the decision to relocate production, close the factory and lay off all the workers, those of us who have stood in favour of the eco-social alternative have worked together to deal with the situation.

To defend the future of Mecaner, its workers and the region, the majority of the Works Council, the environmental organizations, Urduliz, the mayors of Sopela, Lemoiz Gatika or Plentzia and municipal and joint representatives, of the academic world and of Uribe Kosta we have mobilized, supporting the strikes, promoting an eco-friendly and defensive transition.

The multinational Stellantis has closed Mecaner. The Basque Government, as always, has looked elsewhere. Labour legislation has made this possible. But the conditions and alliances that emerged in these months allow us to continue the struggle and defend a proposal that gives the factory a second life. We are not prepared to miss this opportunity.

We repeated it over and over again. The reality is that Mecaner was and is viable. It is true that the automotive sector is being transformed by the ecological crisis and that there is a clear need for a comprehensive transition. We must take advantage of the situation here and now in order to promote an environmentally and socially just transition.

Those of us who support this proposal argue that in order to talk about Mecanner’s future, a three-pillar process should be guaranteed.

First, property of the facilities. We call for temporary public purchasing to avoid the incorporation of private projects that prioritize the economic benefit and disarticulation they intend to carry out and an ecologically sustainable transformation that ensures the possibility of responding to future challenges and quality jobs.

Secondly, the industrial character of the project. We want Mecaner to be a benchmark in the necessary eco-social transformation of industry. We believe that, in general, industrial production must be maintained in these facilities, which is now geared towards a sustainable product and manufacturing process.

The third criterion responds to form. To ensure these objectives, we want to promote a participatory process in which workers, unions, institutions, academia and social movements can propose and decide.

The multinationals must not sell the factory to anyone and in pieces. We argue that property and the industrial project of the future must be linked to the social needs and transformations of the region and the territory. We also believe that the creation of quality jobs and the priority recognition of former workers in any new project.

Those of us who support this initiative will contact the multinational company, we will talk to the Basque Government and what is necessary to reach an agreement: participatory process, public property and eco-social transition.

We invite Mecaner and all the people and social agents committed to a dignified future for our region, to join the path we have already begun to travel.

Mecaner is not for sale. For Mecaner!

*Various signatories:

• Unai Mirasolain, Juan Francisco Gómez and Pedro Gutiérrez; LAB delegates at Mecanner.

• Aser Ignacio Núñez; Sendoa Calleja; Juanma Cruz; ESK Mecaner Delegates.

• Itziar Iratzagorria, Aitor Garagarza, Guruzne Carrasson and Jesús Mari Arizmendi; mayors of Urduliz, Plentzia, Sopela and Lemoiz.

• Ana Parallé, Aitor Gallastegi, Aritz Landeta and Alaitz Ajuriagerra; Ecosocial Jump.

• Lorea Flores Compains, Pablo Aretxabala Pellón, Amaia González Garrido and Francisco del Pozo Campos; Greenpeace.

• Ritxi Hernández Abaitua and Alfonso Caño; Ecosocialist Zone.

• Ugo Maior Martínez (Researcher at UPV/EHU), Iñaki Barcena Hinojal (Professor at UPV/EHU).

• Ramón Prestamero, Aitor Tapia and Emaitz Antón Urduliz.