The trade unions ELA, CCOO, STAT, Independent and LAB have released a statement explaining the cessation of the activity of the plants in the region in the afternoon of yesterday.

At the moment, production has been suspended in the factories. Workers' representatives have stressed that the preventive measures taken by the management are inadequate and that, for example, there is no mask for all workers and that a given solution is to go home without having a shower.

Workers' organisations have highlighted two issues. On the one hand, they are not on strike, but are obliged to paralyse production to ensure public health.

On the other hand, they report that there is no agreement with those responsible for the company as to the days on which they are not working.

In this way, unemployment will continue until agreement is reached on the situation. For the time being, the trade unions have called for a meeting to analyse the trade union situation. Your proposal is the gradual closure of the plant.

Company response

Yesterday, the management sent a text to the members of the Works Council to move their position on the matter. In the document, the managers of the company Tubacex assured that all preventive measures have been taken and that there is no serious risk in the factories. I mean, it's a totally subjective feeling.

Furthermore, he pointed out that the cessation of industrial activity is not among the measures required by the state of alarm.

On the other hand, the management considers that the unions made "widespread use" of the legislation on occupational risks in the Basque Country.

In fact, Tubacex’s management assured that the blockade that workers have done is not covered by the law and that it would explore the possibility of initiating sanctions and complaints. In addition, the Labour Inspectorate had contacted the company by telephone and, in principle, would not intervene.

Finally, the text warned that if factories were not emptied, the means to do so would be sought.