The shipyard Balenciaga de Zumaia (Gipuzkoa) is in competition with creditors, the company’s management reported last week. Yesterday morning, the workers made an appearance to denounce their situation and to demand that the plant not be closed. "We've got tired.

They point out that the management of the company and the public bodies involved are responsible for the situation: "The Directorate, the Basque Government and the Ministry of Economy of the Government of Spain are playing Russian roulette with our future." In fact, "those who are managing this situation have closed the company, giving death to our future and that of much of the region of Urola Kosta", according to the workers. The company had 200 employees for two years, including those directly employed by its staff and those on its contract.

Cofides and the Basque Government, responsible

Workers have warned that the Zumaia shipyard is "viable": "There is a workload for the future. You just need support to get funding." However, they believe that Cofides "is boycotting" the restructuring plan presented by the company, according to the company. It is a public-private company under the Spanish Ministry of Economy and "the principal responsible" that in Balenciaga "the competition of creditors has been requested".

As for the Basque Government, it has ensured that it "conveys all its support to the company" and has contested the company's viability plan. "We don't know what he's doing," the workers regretted.

Five months not charged

However, the employees of Balenciaga have underlined the management of the company as the main responsibility: "The disastrous management of the boats we have built in recent years has brought us into the competition of creditors." They also denounce that the company has not been taken into account in the negotiations: "He's had us abandoned."

Some workers have not paid their wages for five or more months at this time: "We are suffering every day because we are still forced to pay the mortgages and schools of our children [...]. The main consequences of what is happening here are us who are suffering."

Mobilizations, from this Friday

In view of this situation, the workers will start to mobilise. This Friday, 29 July, a demonstration will be held in Zumaia in which they will demonstrate: The march will start at 18:00 hours from the same shipyard, under the motto 'Balenciaga ez itxi'. They have also anticipated that there will be more protests, such as on 4 December, in Vitoria-Gasteiz (Álava). They will then point to the Basque Government.