CEOE, Cepyme and ATA reject the reduction of working hours due to its "negative" impact on companies and the economy

They denounce the "interventionist desire" of PSOE-Sumar and say that the working day must be negotiated "sector by sector and company by company"

MADRID, 24 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) -

CEOE, Cepyme and ATA have expressed their rejection of the measures that have become known from the programmatic agreement of PSOE and SUMAR for the formation of a new Government, since they will have a "negative impact" on the activity of companies, especially of SMEs and the self-employed, and therefore for the growth of the economy and the creation of jobs in Spain.

For the employers' associations, it is "surprising" that the agreement delves into issues specific to social dialogue, agreeing on very relevant aspects, such as that relating to the working day, "behind the backs of the social partners and with an obvious interventionist desire and which is a violation of the constitutional role of social agents".

As they have pointed out, there is the possibility of exploring new distribution formulas between work time and rest or leisure time, but "not as a consequence of a legal imposition but through collective bargaining."

In this sense, the employers' associations have stressed that the regulation of working hours must be dealt with "sector by sector and company by company", analyzing in each case "whether there is sufficient productivity margin and the organizational needs of the employer."

"Doing it in another way, and outside the framework of social dialogue, means an increase in costs for companies, which is added to the higher production, financing and other costs (contributions, increase in the SMI) that they were already suffering. "they have warned.

The employers' association has thus demanded "respect" for the social pacts reached in the social dialogue, from the labor reform to the V Agreement for Employment and Collective Bargaining signed on May 10 for a period of three years. "The opposite is an attack on the constitutional role of social agents," she denounced.

Businessmen, they say, have defended their role in promoting the development of Spain and so that the country is in the best conditions to face the challenges that lie ahead. "And we deserve the respect and appreciation that we earn, every day, with our work," they reiterated.

From CEOE, Cepyme and ATA have stated that they are going to continue defending the key role of the company as a creator of wealth and employment, of prosperity for society as a whole and they are going to continue working in favor of everything that involves stability, progress and cohesion for Spain.