SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 1st May. (EUROPA PRESS) –
On Wednesday, nearly 2,000 individuals took to the streets of the Canary Islands’ capitals in peaceful demonstrations organized by the major labour unions UGT and CCOO to mark ‘International Labour Day’, as reported by the Government Delegation.
These groups have urged for efforts to secure full employment across the islands, kickstart the process of legally reducing the workday, foster industrial policies, and implement a care strategy through the restoration of public services and citizen welfare.
Manuel Navarro, the general secretary of UGT in the Canary Islands, described this May Day as “significant” due to the need to acknowledge the “gains” made in enhancing working and wage conditions in recent years, while also emphasising the necessity to remain “vigilant” against the “fragility” of these accomplishments.
“Any alterations in policy by a potential right-wing government could jeopardize these gains. It should be remembered that the right-wing has consistently opposed all social and labour advancements in the country,” he stressed.
As a result, he stressed the importance of “safeguarding what has been achieved” and “reasserting” certain aspects that are still outstanding from the labour reforms, such as enhancing protections against unjust dismissals to better align with the individual circumstances of the terminated employee.
He also highlighted the need to “look towards Europe” as the policies of progress or austerity will be determined following the European Parliament elections.
Montserrat Cosano, the secretary of union action at CCOO Canarias, underscored the necessity for state industrial strategies in the Canary Islands to “generate respectable, sustainable, and high-quality employment opportunities for ensuring a secure work future.”
He described unionism as a “fundamental force for change” during a period of “global shifts.”
“Now is the moment to safeguard labour agreements, equitably distribute business profits, further enhance employment opportunities and salaries, reduce working hours, and support the labour force amidst the turbulent international climate compounded by Putin’s unwarranted invasion entering its third year of conflict and the tragic events unfolding in Gaza,” he shared.
