“We ask for dignity, justice and common sense”: the demands that marked the march on 30N in Ibiza

“We ask for dignity, justice and common sense.” With this phrase, included in the manifesto read this Sunday, the claim that articulated the November 30 march in Ibiza was synthesized. In the interventions, the voices of freelancers and organizers coincided in pointing out the urgent need to adapt the system to the reality of those who are self-employed, a collective that claims to sustain entire sectors of the local economy while continuing to operate without a sufficient safety net. “Today Ibiza spoke loud and clear. The response has been impressive. Streets full, hands up and a common message: enough of suffocating us,” described Alicia Reina, one of the movement’s coordinators.

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Claims focused on fair dues and tax relief

The focus of the claims revolved around fees and tax pressure. The manifesto denounced the fact that many professionals are forced to pay even in months without income and demanded fees proportional to real income, pointing out that the current system is indebted and leads to the closure of many small businesses. The platform also insisted on the need to apply the VAT exemption for invoicing of less than 85,000 euros, contemplated by European regulations, as well as simpler models that prevent the self-employed from acting as intermediaries in the collection of taxes.

Social protection and conciliation as urgent demands

The participants recalled that the lack of protection in situations of illness, maternity or bereavement continues to be one of the main reasons for vulnerability in the sector. The manifesto called for an accessible termination of activity, leave with reduced contribution and the guarantee that a temporary absence does not entail irreversible losses. In the same vein, Reina stressed the need for family and work reconciliation, paid leave for delicate situations and psychological and economic support resources, elements that he identified as essential to sustain the activity of thousands of small businesses.

Less bureaucracy and protection of family housing

Excessive paperwork and penalties for administrative errors were another of the points that were widely repeated during the day. The platform called for clear processes, a single window and understandable communications, leaving behind a legal language that complicates basic procedures. It also called for a strict separation between personal and business assets, warning that the family home cannot be exposed for incidents arising from a business. ” The habitual residence must be untouchable”, insisted the manifesto.

A movement that does not end with the march

The general atmosphere of the day combined demands and continuity. For the organizers, 30N is not a closing, but the beginning of a broader phase of mobilization that seeks to transfer these demands to the administrations. Reina summed it up as follows: “Today was not an end, it was the beginning. We will continue to mobilize until they listen to us.”

The protest in Ibiza comes after weeks of public exposure of testimonies of self-employed and after the plenary of the Consell Insular approved a motion in support of the group, warning of the effects of insularity, seasonality and cost overruns on those who are self-employed.