Gathered for the "social dialogue table" in Palma on Friday.

TW
0

The meeting of the so-called social dialogue table in Palma on Friday broke up without agreement having been reached on an extension to ERTE; the current arrangements run out at the end of this month.

Nevertheless, the national minister of employment, Yolanda Díaz, said that there was "good understanding" and that further discussions with business and union leaders will be held next week.

The president of the CEOE Spanish Confederation of Business Organisations, Antonio Garamendi, stated that he was in agreement with union demands that ERTE benefits are maintained at 70% of salary and do not drop to 50%. He restated a demand that ERTE should be extended until Easter next year or even until June. "Tourism is suffering the consequences of the pandemic in a very particular way," he said, observing that there is solidarity among Spanish businesspeople with the specific issues faced by the Balearics.

"We must continue with ERTEs in various ways. The first is ERTE because of new outbreaks, then there are those which are force majeure." He called for tax exemptions for companies which need these and for businesses which provide employment to be helped with financing this.

Although there is plenty of pressure for the situation with ERTE to be resolved, the lack of agreement is not surprising. Before the meeting in Palma, Díaz indicated that she didn't expect there to be agreement as further discussions would be needed.