Barely a month and a half has passed since the first coalition government between PP and Vox was set up in Castilla y León for the president of this Community, Alfonso Fernández Mañueco, to have to face his first headache: the unilateral announcement of the formation green of a cut of 20 million in subsidies received by employers and unions.
Vox’s intentions are not new and its government pact with the PP included the “significant reduction of superfluous institutional spending and suppression of ineffective public spending or that does not result in the well-being of citizens.” And despite the fact that aid and unions were number one on the ‘snip’ list, the president of CEOE, Santiago Aparicio, was confident that the blood would not reach the river. Aparicio stated that “Social Dialogue is the area in that they have been working for many years to reach agreements for the benefit of society. That, if we explain it well (to Vox), they will understand.”
But far from that, the regional vice president, Juan García-Gallardo, and his Minister for Industry and Employment, Mariano Veganzones, appeared in public last Monday and announced The chosen moment was not accidental: in the middle of the Andalusian election campaign and the same day in which the Minister of Industry, Reyes Maroto, presided over the signing of the Competitiveness Plan to save Siro from bankruptcy. The green formation had no qualms about watering down the photo of Mañueco, who had managed to join the photo after several days of mutual reproaches between the Government and the Board on account of the business crisis of one of the main agri-food companies in the Community.
“Fatal wound”
After the announcement, the employers have chosen to end the condescension that they had shown until then with Vox and raise the tone. In a statement, CEOE Castilla y León showed its “absolute disbelief in both the form and the content of the messages” launched by García-Gallardo and Veganzones, “with qualifications that are inappropriate for a democratic society and that unjustifiably question the role of the business community”, at the same time that they demanded that Mañueco clarify for the regional government or “it is only an arbitrary decision of a part of the Executive”.
UGT and CCOO see the Social Dialogue in Castilla y León “mortally wounded”, they have asked the President of the Board, Alfonso Fernández Mañueco, to convene a Council meeting “immediately” and have accused Vox of “lying”, “falsifying” quantities, “manipulating”, trying to impose a policy of “fear” and they have warned that they are going to “defend” themselves.
Andalusia earrings
The Chairman of the Board has promised to hold a meeting with the social agents, but has not yet set a date. Some interpret that the results of the Andalusian elections this Sunday will determine the way forward. If Vox is not necessary for Juanma Moreno to govern, Mañueco can pose a challenge to the green formation and put him in the position of breaking the pact in the only Community in which they govern.
The opposite option would mean a strengthening of the formation led by Gallardo and assuming some cuts that will strain relations between the Board and social agents.
Also the bids
Vox’s scissors also threaten agrarian organizations after the Minister of Agriculture, Gerardo Dueñas, warned that they will review the aid they receive. Especially harsh has been Asaja, the majority, who has made it ugly that the measure stems from “some politicians who supposedly came to improve the situation in the countryside and who, by the way, have not lowered their salaries nor have they given up advisers or the millionaire subsidies parliamentary group.
For social policies
Vox has promised to allocate the money that employers and unions will no longer receive to priority attention social policies, which help citizens at a time of particular economic difficulty such as the one Spain is going through, although it will also mean swell the already bulging bag of employees public.
The cut materializes with the reduction of 50% of the 4 million euros that until now received CCOO, UGT and CEOE in concept of nominative subsidies for institutional participation in Castilla y León.
Direct subsidies for social dialogue and occupational risk prevention, another 3.6 million euros that they also received, are completely eliminated. The money saved will be invested in a greater staffing in the Territorial Labor Offices that carry out this same function. Subsidies, 160,000 euros, to the four chairs related to the activity of trade union and employer associations are also eliminated 100%.
Another chapter of public money dedicated so far to social agents that is reviewed is that of subsidies for carrying out actions within the framework of the Public Employment Service. Specifically, 12 million for professional guidance actions for employment and assistance for self-employment, 800,000 euros for actions aimed at employed workers and 925,000 for the social and labor integration of the immigrant population.
Almost 14 million euros with which training courses will now be promoted with a contracting commitment designed by the companies themselves, which guarantees their adaptation to the needs of the labor market, according to the Ministry of Employment, Commerce and Industry, whose owner is Mariano Veganzones. This department has been the first to undertake the cuts that, in addition to Agriculture, will be extended to the Ministry of Culture, also in the hands of Vox
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