The Ministry of Economy is in no hurry to reduce the maximum working day that can be done by law in Spain. At least, not the same one stated by the Department of Labor, led by Yolanda Díaz, which has set a very clear deadline: December 31, 2025. Questioned this Wednesday about whether the entry into force of the measure could be postponed to 2026, the head of Economy, Carlos Body, has The focus has been taken away from deadlines and given to the design of the standard.
“It is not so much an issue of entry into force, where we have a specific commitment that we want to fulfill, which is the government pact, but rather Let’s make sure we’re doing this to help make this measure sustainable.that it be maintained over time so that our companies can assimilate it,” said Body in an interview with La Sexta.
The Minister of Economy has been in favor of a “smooth”, “simple” transitionand that does not affect wages, productivity or growth. “We have to help companies make that transition because that is how we will be successful and we will ensure that the process brings benefits for everyone and that it is sustained over time,” he added.
Within these flexibility measures, Corps has opened the door to a “personalized” treatment for certain sectors such as agriculture, or construction. Give “some margin” to collective bargaining within sectoral agreements to adapt the reduction in working hours to your situation. Some words that align with the position of the employers’ association, which has been in favor on numerous occasions of negotiating this issue in agreements and not in a generalized way.
The message that Economy sends clashes in several aspects with the position of the Ministry of Labor, more blunt and direct in their approaches. Yolanda Díaz defended this same Tuesday after the Council of Ministers the “imminence” of the agreement. “There has been social dialogue, we will close a bipartite agreement with the unions,” he said. Late on Tuesday, the vice president published a clearer message on the X social network underlining the deadlines. “The Government agreement must be complied with: reduction of working hours in 2025. Work less, live better. “We will not fail them,” he said.
The great parliamentary obstacle
Diaz’s department is very close to presenting the final text of the standardwhich will travel to the Congress of Deputies as a draft bill and will be processed urgently. What happens in the Cortes is still a mystery. The majority of the Government’s parliamentary partners welcome the measure, but Junts has not yet given in and without its support the votes do not add up.
In this sense, the Economy message, more conciliatory with businessmen, seeks attract the support of political parties that listen more attentively to the employers. This is the case of Junts, which is very aware of the opinion of Foment del Treball, the Catalan chapter of CEOE, which is against the reduction of working hours.
#Body #cools #deadlines #reduction #working #hours #prioritizes #sustainable #companies #assimilate
