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Academic qualifications do not benefit a mayor

  • The Mayor of Vitoria-Gasteiz, Gorka Uraran, does not understand the demands of the workers of sports activities. Unskilled workers on indefinite strike in cases of employment privilege and ingratitude: "I don't understand your claim. We are talking about lifeguards who charge between EUR 12.5 and EUR 15 per hour, between EUR 20,000 and EUR 25,000 per year in exchange for 1,596 hours per year, who are only required to have a school graduate and a life-support training course. I don't know where the problem is.

04 September 2020 - 15:14
Gaizka Urtaran Gasteizko Campusean, EHUko ordezkariekin. Argazkia: ehu.eus.

One of the problems is that the mayor wanted to distort the struggle on, because, as the workers have pointed out, they have not put wages at the centre of the conflict, but cuts and working conditions. And “forget” to clarify that most workers do not have a full-time or full-year contract. But we're going to address, in any case, the relationship between salary and training according to the mayor.

It follows from the Mayor’s statements that the qualifications required for a job and the salary received for this job must be proportionate: less qualifications, less pay. This classicist and capitalist conception that we have almost naturalized in our society is debatable. It could be, for example, that they call me crazy, that wages are set according to the social value of activity. That is why, let us say, the person who cares for the elderly would be paid a great deal; one of the main agents of pollution in the world and of consumerism.

"Graduate school is not necessary to be mayor -- and I have no problems with that, because studies are not a guarantee of anything. Imagine that you do not need to comply with what was promised in the programme or in the public electoral declarations – with which I have a small problem –"

An employee who produces those vehicles in our glorious Mercedes, is much smaller, or a banker, instead of charging, would have to pay a lot. Without forgetting that the very existence of employment and wages is a social organisation that can be called into question, and we should even call it into question for the common good, but we do not become maximalists.

Let's take Uraran's mental framework for good. If it is not understood that more than 20,000-25,000 euros are charged for a job that requires a school graduate and a “course”, it may be thought that it would even be more incomprehensible to charge a quadruple for a job that does not even require a school graduate. Well, Uraran received 82,416.9 euros in 2019 for being mayor, without flushing. The school graduate doesn't need to be a mayor -- and I don't have any problems with it, because studies aren't a guarantee of anything. Imagine that it is not necessary to comply with what was promised in the programme or in the public electoral declarations, if that is what I have a problem with. Of course, we do not need to be sensitive to the problems of citizenship to which you serve – let us not be maximalists. I'm not going to require the mayor to be consistent with my principles, but, listen, with yours, at least a little, right?

“But I have university studies!”, I imagine the sociologist Uraran, in an arrogant answer, trying to distance himself with the unattended workers and the citizens on strike. I would say to him that I am sure that there are also university graduates among those on indefinite strike. Also among immigrant women who work in slavery conditions as workers residing in the homes of Vitoria. Or also among the vitorians who receive 600 euros per month in emergency benefits, while the mayor who considers enough to live that amount receives more than 6,000 euros per month as his representative. I would say to you that qualification should not be a guarantee of decent working conditions, that dignity should be guaranteed anywhere and for everyone, and more so in the public sphere. Among other things, because the degrees or the university do not make anyone a worker, mayor or good person, obviously.


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