The union believes there has been sufficient progress to conclude negotiations on the agreement covering street cleaning, waste collection and recycling centers, which affects nearly 1,500 workers. The union says the negotiating committee is evenly divided: UGT, USO, CSIF and Independiente make up one bloc, while CGT and CCOO form the other, with neither side holding enough votes to sign the agreement on its own. Measures discussed include pay increases, moving 50 workers to full-time contracts, improvements to certain allowances and new family-work reconciliation measures.
For its part, FCC Medio Ambiente maintains that its proposal provides for an 11% pay increase over three years for a working week of up to 34 hours. The company is calling for dialogue channels to remain open and is questioning mobilizations organized outside the negotiating committee, arguing that they make an agreement more difficult to reach. The company also distinguishes between unions that, in its view, are taking a constructive approach to negotiations and those whose actions it considers more confrontational.
CGT AND CCOO PREPARE NEW MOBILIZATIONS
UGT's response comes as CGT and CCOO maintain their demands and have not ruled out calling another strike in November if no agreement is reached. Both unions called off the stoppages planned during the Fiestas del Pilar, but insist that the dispute remains unresolved and have announced that they will continue Thursday rallies in Plaza de España, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The aim is to prepare a new schedule of mobilizations that could coincide with the election campaign.
The differences are also reflected in the assessment of the negotiations. While UGT believes prolonging the dispute despite the progress made only creates uncertainty for staff and for an essential service in Zaragoza, CGT and CCOO allege that talks have been ongoing for two years without satisfactory results. Their main demands include preserving purchasing power, better family-work reconciliation and an end to the precarious conditions faced by weekend workers.
The controversy also extends to protests held in recent weeks. FCC has said that the 70 participants in certain actions were not part of the affected workforce and has defended the representativeness of the organizations sitting on the negotiating committee.
