Podemos initiates an ERE to close in nine communities and dismiss half of its workers

He stresses that the reduction of deputies after 28M and 23J will mean a decrease in income that forces to cut expenses

MADRID, 7 Ago. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Podemos has announced to its workers the opening of an Employment Regulation File (ERE) which provides for the closure of nine of its territorial delegations and the dismissal of at least half of its workforce, as a result of the loss of institutional representation in the regional elections on May 28 and in the general elections on July 23.

This was announced by the party in a letter dated July 24 (the day after the general elections) sent to its employees, according to El Periódico de España and to which Europa Press has had access.

In it, Podemos assumes that it is facing "a new scenario" after the two electoral appointments that, in addition to the loss of political weight, implies a significant reduction in income. Specifically, it reveals that an "initial assessment" of the situation places losses at 70 percent at the state level and approximately 90 percent in the territories.

This leads the party to announce the termination of contracts and the closure of work centers in nine autonomies --Aragon, Asturias, the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, Castilla-La Mancha, Cantabria, Galicia, Madrid and the Valencian Community--; in addition to a reduction in staff at its headquarters.

Podemos underlines the reduction of seats in the autonomous parliaments and in the Cortes Generales as justification for a "profound reorganization of the party in all areas" to adapt "to the decrease in resources that this implies."

"This reduction in income entails the unavoidable need to adapt expenses of all kinds to them, including labor, which in the case of the affected territories will imply the termination of contracts and the closure of work centers and, in state, a reduction in the workforce," he announces.

With this, the party announces the opening of the ERE "for economic, technical and organizational reasons". "This reorganization is faced with the firm objective of ensuring the political action of Podemos and guaranteeing the continuity of the progress of transformative policies," he advances.

As detailed in the letter, the ERE will affect a total of 45 dependent workers from the nine territorial centers that will be closed (five in Aragon, seven in Asturias, eight in the Balearic Islands, six in the Canary Islands, four in Castilla-La Mancha, one in Cantabria, three in Galicia, four in Madrid and seven in the Valencian Community). Podemos also has 61 employees at the state level, 57.55 percent of its total workforce, who will also suffer a significant reduction.

The party is now opening a negotiation process that will be led by the Organization Secretariat headed by the elected deputy Lilith Vestrynge. "The Organization remains at the disposal of the compañeras and compañeros with the conviction that among all of us we will be able to find the best solutions to promote our organization again, at the regional and state level, with the certainty that continuing to conquer rights is possible. ", claims the 'purple' formation.

On 23J, Podemos ran for election under the umbrella of Sumar led by Yolanda Díaz, who won a total of 31 seats with 12.31 percent of the vote. Of them, only five belong to Podemos.

Two months earlier, the party had already lost considerable territorial weight in the elections on May 28, remaining without representation in two important places, the Community of Madrid and the Valencian Community, and without reaching its goal of entering the regional parliaments of Castilla-Valencia either. La Mancha and Cantabria. In addition, their intention to join the PSOE in numerous territories was frustrated and they even lost regional executives that they already had, as is the case of the Valencian Community, the Balearic Islands or Aragon.