The General Workers' Union general secretary Pepe Alvarez warned on Wednesday in Almeria that his union and Comisiones Obreras will abandon government negotiation tables unless a royal decree on time tracking is approved before the end of August.
Speaking to reporters during an event in the southern city, Alvarez delivered an ultimatum to Spain's central government, emphasizing that an executive agreement was already in place and must be enacted immediately.
He asserted that if an upcoming meeting of the Council of Ministers fails to set the decree on track, both unions will walk away from ongoing labor talks.
The General Workers' Union, known as UGT, and Comisiones Obreras are Spain's two largest trade union federations, representing millions of workers across public and private sectors in national collective bargaining with ministers and business leaders.
Minimum wage protection and summer labor
Alvarez demanded that ministers act immediately to resolve issues surrounding the statutory minimum wage, known in Spain as the Salario Minimo Interprofesional. He stated that government intervention is necessary to prevent mandated pay increases from being absorbed by supplementary allowances written into collective agreements, specifically highlighting bonuses awarded for seniority, hazardous duties, and physically arduous work.
Turning to employment practices during the summer months, the union chief criticized businesses in the hospitality and agricultural sectors for treating seasonal summer labor as extraordinary work. He argued that seasonal employment forms part of regular working life for these employees, who must be guaranteed adherence to their official schedules.
Alvarez also called for increased resources and equipment for forest firefighters battling seasonal blazes across Spain. He stated that it is impossible for emergency crews to spend every hour of the day putting out fires without being granted mandatory rest periods.
Agricultural research and regional collective agreements
The UGT leader spoke following an official visit to the facilities of UNICA Group, a major second-tier agricultural cooperative based in Andalusia. Addressing the challenges posed by climate change and severe water scarcity, Alvarez advocated for expanded national investment in agricultural research and development so Spain can produce and export seeds and farming technology globally.
Focusing on local labor negotiations, Alvarez urged regional agricultural employers to finalize pending collective agreements for packaging and processing workers across the provinces of Almeria and Granada under fair conditions.
The southern region of Andalusia serves as one of Europe's primary agricultural hubs, where thousands of packhouse employees process fruits and vegetables for distribution across international markets.
Workweek limits and migrant labor conditions
Alvarez insisted on strict compliance with the Spanish Workers' Statute, demanding enforcement of the 40-hour weekly work limit and the total abolition of flexible hour banks used by employers.
Addressing agricultural labor conditions, Alvarez warned that given current wage levels, harvests would remain uncollected without a migrant workforce that he described as frequently subjected to severe exploitation.
He condemned racist agitators targeting immigrant workers and warned that under current conditions, agricultural laborers will ultimately choose to leave Spain to seek employment in neighboring France.
