Representatives of the trade unions UGT, CCOO, ELA and LAB have appeared in the Committee on Social Rights, Social Economy and Employment of the Parliament of Navarra to explain the process of negotiating the 6th collective agreement for disability care centres concluded with the foreign government. They ask the ruling parties PSN, Geroa Bai and Simo Tú to try to compensate for the 23% of the purchasing power they lost prior to the current agreement.

All the political groups have joined the demands of the trade unions and the PSN, through Olga Chueca, has announced that it will promote the updating of the CPI plus a salary increase of 2%. However, Iris Arlegui of LAB has been convinced that the Foral Government "brought the proposal for a wage freeze" to the first negotiating table of the agreement.

They have recently held the 12th collective bargaining meeting and the social partners have criticized that “the employers and the government propose an increase of 2%, but it is for the improvement of all rights and not just for the increase in wages”, said Rosa León of UGT. In addition, Fernando Zoco, from ELA, has denounced that accepting the platform of the employer’s agreement “would entail a loss of rights, such as family reconciliation or paid permits”. In order to make the negotiation as transparent as possible, the trade unions have asked the companies in the sector to submit the results accounts, “but these have been denied,” said CCOO’s Strengths Ferrándiz.

Dignifying working conditions to improve care

Union representatives state that both the government and the employers constantly talk about people-centred care and although they see this idea with good eyes, “it is impossible to implement this system if they do not provide tools to the working class”. In addition, they have pointed out that on many occasions “the ratios established by law are not complied with or the rights of workers are not respected”.

“Methodological improvements inevitably require improvements in working conditions, even more so in the care sector,” said Javier Arzak of EH Bildu. To achieve this, he has made it clear that his party is going to continue "betting on a full publication".

In this sense, Isabel Aranburu of Geroa Bai has pointed out that in the Government’s programmatic agreement “the measure of publication of residences will be studied, prioritizing centers specializing in disability”. Aranburu has promised to “be vigilant” so that this commitment will be fulfilled before the end of the legislature, otherwise the sector will “become more and more in the hands of commercial companies”.

Maribel García, of the PP, answered that “the responsibility to improve conditions even when public or private centers are the parties in power”. In the same vein, Raquel Garbayo of UPN said: “The Government of Navarre should play a leading role in the negotiations. If he wants, they will improve their conditions”, they have addressed the workers’ representatives.

In response to this message and recalling the cuts made by previous governments, Miguel Garrido of Vitoria-Gasteiz warned the trade unions: “Beware of anyone who criticizes the lack of money when he is in opposition and talks about political will; and with whom when he is in government he lowers taxes and talks about a lack of budget. We need progressive fiscal reform in order to be able to raise funds and improve living conditions.”