argia.eus
INPRIMATU
Defending our industry
Juan Mari Arregi 2016ko maiatzaren 04a

The last few months are demonstrating that it is not true that the economic situation is going to improve and that it is coming out of the tunnel of the industrial crisis, even though the public administration, including the one headed by IƱigo Urkullu, wants to ventilate it. In recent days we have had two important events: the demonstration convened by the Basque trade unions in Bilbao and the First of May. In both cases the working class and the public have denounced and called for the defence of our industry through policies adapted to the new times. The workers in the districts most affected by deindustrialization (Left Margin, Oarsoaldea, Aiara, Sakana...) have participated in the demonstrations. A statistical data: Between 2007 and 2013, the Basque industry has lost 75,000 net jobs, while thousands more have been accounted for since 2013.

A people has no future without industry. In order to defend our industry, we have to analyse the structural problems it has, only in this way will we find solutions: lack of diversification, dependence on multinationals, overweight of traditional sectors, lack of funding, relocation of property and production centres, and poor participation by public authorities in key areas.

Administrations and savings banks have sold their shares in a number of job-promoting companies, such as Arcelor, and that is not to defend our industry. That is to leave their future in the hands of the multinationals. We are now complaining that business domains and decision-making points are being relocated, and that is not just happening in the steel world. To defend our industry, it is pointless to propaganda and to be a spokesman for Confesbask.