This Thursday the negotiations of the XVII Hotel and Catering Agreement of the Balearic Islands begin , a key agreement for nearly 180,000 workers and strategic for the economy of the Balearic Islands with the focus on what seems to be a stumbling block: the reduced working day.
The agreement, considered the most important in the autonomous community due to its impact on hotels, restaurants, bars and nightclubs, and which serves as a national reference, is once again in the spotlight due to an issue that promises to be the main challenge of the talks.
Unions such as CCOO and UGT have put on the table strong demands in this area. CCOO proposes establishing a 37.5-hour working week, while UGT remains firm in its demand for 35 hours.
However, employers consider this measure difficult to apply, especially in the service sector and in small companies, where the impact could be greater.
According to the Spanish Confederation of Hotels and Tourist Accommodation (Cehat) and the Spanish Hotel and Catering Industry, the reduction of the working week to 37.5 hours, whose draft bill was approved by the Council of Ministers, could cause a 3% drop in the turnover of the tourism and hospitality sector, which is equivalent to 5,099 million euros per year.
A “historic” agreement
The current agreement, which expires on March 31, has already been described as “historic” because it includes improvements such as an 8.5% wage increase over two years and pioneering measures in occupational health and family reconciliation. Now, expectations are high, but the positions on working hours mark a point of tension.
Despite the discrepancies, both parties recognize the need to make progress on social and economic issues. The unions argue that inflation and the rising cost of living have eroded the wage increases achieved in recent years and seek to link improved working conditions to a more sustainable and equitable model.
Employers, for their part, are willing to study a new wage increase, although they insist on linking it to productivity, qualifications and the labor market situation, marked by a lack of personnel in the sector.
The constitution of the board
This noon will be constituted the negotiating table. On the employers’ side, it will be made up of representatives of the Hotel Business Federation of Mallorca (FEHM); Hotel Federation of Ibiza and Formentera (FEHIF); Hotel Association of Menorca (ASHOME); CAEB Restoration; Balearic Association of Leisure and Entertainment (ABONE); PIME Menorca; Menorcan Association of Cafes, Bars and Restaurants and Petita i Mitjana Empresa d’Eivissa i Formentera (PIMEEF).
The unions represented are Unión General de Trabajadores (UGT) and Comisiones Obreras (CCOO).
