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INPRIMATU
Thousands of workers have gone on strike in the public administration of Navarra in defence of public services
  • A decade ago we had to go back to see a kind of strike that this Wednesday lives in the public administration in Navarra. 29,000 workers have been called on strike by LAB, UGT, ELA, CCOO, Stee-Eilas and SAE.
Xabier Letona Biteri @xletona 2023ko otsailaren 15
Sindikatuetako ordezkariak bilkuraren buruan. (Arg.: X. Letona) Sindikatuetako ordezkariak bilkuraren buruan. (Arg.: X. Letona)

The unions have convened a meeting with the Government of Navarra at 11:30 on Carlos III Street and have gathered thousands of people. Speaking with a number of representatives and trade union participants, the impression that this journalist has received is that perhaps not so many people expected. Perhaps that is why they have chosen to meet at the headquarters of the foral government and not the Plaza del Castillo, which could be large. However, it could be said that this first session has exceeded expectations.

There is still no data on strike, but there may be a similar impression, your strike with a quick call, as the coldness of the first days has been heated with the days. It has to be said, however, that these are mere impressions following discussions with various public sector workers and trade union representatives.

In the words of ELA representative Izai Bujanda, “this crowd demonstrates the success of the mobilization. People are angry and with this meeting we put faces and bodies.” In the media assessment, representatives of ELA and UGT have intervened, and Bujanda reports that “the minimum services provided by the government have been excessive. We understand that there are minimal but not so much services.”

The indignation of workers is mentioned by the trade union representation, as it has been doing for some time in health centers and schools, but in recent days there is one factor that has accentuated this anger: the strike of the Medical Union of Navarra. In numerical terms, this strike is being low and contrary to the view of the other unions in the public health sector, among other things because the majority of trade unions defend it alone and oppose the public spirit of health. However, the Foral Government has given it all the attention and has been prepared to offer a salary increase of EUR 1,000 per month from the union to EUR 400. However, at the request of the majority of the trade unions to raise wages, the government responds that the Spanish Government leaves no room for this.

The Medical Union has been on strike for two weeks, but today it has called to work not to strike with the other unions. In society, there is a special awareness about health problems, among other reasons because citizens suffer in their daily lives. And interestingly, with their strike, the union was getting their point of view on the axis of health problems. Surely this has also influenced the call for strike today by the majority of trade unions in the public sector.

Strikers
did not enter URL 0 and have spread to Plaza del Castillo. (Ed. : X. Latvian)

Five claims

The five main demands of the trade unions that have pushed for today’s strike are: one, to reduce the provisional rate of administrative staff to 8%; two, the wage increase to recover purchasing power; three, the improvement of ratios to provide better public service; four, the career for all; and five, the defence of public services.

As the trade union representatives pointed out at the end of the year, this strike is to prevent the privatisation of the public and to defend the public service. They consider that the current government has made it possible to weaken key areas such as health, education, welfare or culture. They therefore call on the parliamentary groups in Navarre to increase the amount allocated to public services.

They have denounced that the workers of the Government of Navarra have lost 20% of their purchasing power in the last decade: “In times of increased life and increased interest rates, the Government of Navarra has limited itself to making the promotion from the Government of Spain”. The Government of Navarra has been urged to use self-government to, among other things, stabilise jobs, “since the existing stabilization measures have been carried out on the basis of a state law conditional on Europe”.

Finally, today at 17:30 the citizens have been invited to participate in the demonstration that will leave the old Bus Station.

Meeting looking at the Plaza del Castillo de Carlos III.enetik.