Metal Viga goes on strike for an indefinite period

Author: Oscar Vazquez

The metal sector of the province of Pontevedra will go to indefinite strike. 33,000 workers have been called to a total strike, which puts an additional burden on the sector. It was announced by the trade unions CC.OO., UGT and CIG, although the call lasts for eleven days. It will be from July 18. The next demonstrations on the 12th and 13th of this month have been suspended. Thousands of workers welcome the decision at the assembly called by the unions on the sixth day of protests in Vigo. «Unions have no cracks between the three“, they explained in the assembly: “The bosses think that they will go exactly on the 23rd and that they will suppress us».

This decision puts more pressure on employers, who announced a few days ago that he will sit down for negotiations with the unions only if they give up the protest. Unions must count ten days from the publication of the call for an indefinite period because there are public companies attached to the contract and as indicated in the labor regulations.

The trade union representatives spoke about this decision with a joint message. “It is resolved if or there is no negotiating table and you have to force the business side to sit down,” he said. celso ram, Secretary of Industry for the Workers’ Commissions, who was in charge of the publication. He explained the strategic plan he will follow as three movements. The first is to cancel the mobilization for next week. Second, “call the employer to make an agreement” and third “indeterminate drift”.

“We listened to the employer’s communication and it was completely disjointed. They told all the lies they could think of. We will not give in. In this conflict we will win yes or no“, he added Julio Fernandez, representing the IGC. “18. we have to make the leap. Let’s throw away the ties with the last consequence,” he added.

Ruben Perezat the head of the UGT, he cried out for the need for mobilization businessmen of the sector “so that they start calling all employers”. “Without the workers of their companies, they are nothing,” he concluded. Then they embraced and applauded the thousands of workers who listened to them in the Alameda de Bouzas.

The announcement came during the sixth demonstration of the metal sector in Vigo. Thousands of workers are participating in a new strike this July 7 after yesterday’s concentration that ended with police reports. The national police detained one participant for resistance and disobedience.

Today’s march started with another symbolic scenario for the sector, such as the former Hijos de J. Barreras shipyard, now Ría de Vigo and owned by the Armon maritime group. The route includes Coruña Street, Castelao Avenue and Tomás Paredes to Paulino Freire. They ended up in Bouzas boulevard «where it will be compiled to indicate the next steps to be taken“, the trade unions explained after yesterday’s afternoon meeting of delegates. Earlier this week, they agreed that any new strike call must be decided by all parties.

Your claims pass to adjust the salaries of almost 33,000 workers in the sector to the CPI, which is one of the conditions for signing a contract with employers Asima, Atra and Instalectra. They are also seeking a 4 percent wage increase in each year of the agreement (2023, 2024 and 2025), along with private subrogation and a 24-hour reduction in the working day per year.