Garamendi believes that turning businessmen into a "target" reminds us of the economies of "countries crossing the pond"

MADRID, 24 Oct.

Garamendi believes that turning businessmen into a "target" reminds us of the economies of "countries crossing the pond"

MADRID, 24 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The president of the Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations (CEOE), Antonio Garamendi, warned this Monday of the danger of turning businessmen "into the target of the evils that happen in this country" and pointed out that this attitude of "the ruling class " reminds you of the situation in the American countries.

"It is worrying me greatly (...). Either we go out together or we have a problem. They are pointing to (the president of Banco Santander) Ana Botín, to Nacho Galán (president of Iberdrola, Ignacio Sánchez Galán), or to myself. I think that this is dangerous and reminds me of other economies from other countries crossing the pond", said Garamendi at a lunch at the XXI Century Club.

The president of the employers has defended the position of the employers in the different negotiations and has lamented that sectors such as banking, energy or distribution are considered "guilty" of the country's situation.

Among these negotiations, Garamendi has referred to the rent agreement and the Agreement for Employment and Collective Bargaining (AENC) and the "confusion" between them.

Regarding the income pact, he has insisted that "he misses the main opposition party" and has pointed out that at that table they should also talk about pensions or civil servants, because talking only about salaries "is the AENC".

Regarding the AENC, Garamendi has specified that "it is a recommendation", since "what really counts are the agreements and the agreements are being signed".

"What is not valid is that we have to say what the unions want us to say or what someone from the Government wants us to say. What we cannot do is sign absolutely no agreement indexed to inflation, because we would enter into a second-round problem ", has explained.

The president of the CEOE has also alluded to the demonstration that the unions are preparing for next November 3 to ask for wage increases. Garamendi has recognized his right to demonstrate and has stressed that the employers cannot sign general increases in all sectors because "it is not an open bar."

"I have deep respect for the unions. I'm not going to go into what they have to do or not. Maybe one day I'll call a demonstration and fill it up," he ironized.

However, he has stressed that the employers continue to negotiate and has criticized the speech of the unions, which accuse them of having left the table, and of the second vice president and Minister of Labor, Yolanda Díaz, who "supports them and goes in partnership ".

Garamendi has also denied that the electoral environment within the CEOE is conditioning salary negotiations and has guaranteed that "no ring would drop if he had to sign an agreement tomorrow."

The employers will also sit down in the coming months with the unions, at the request of the Government, to negotiate the increase in the Minimum Interprofessional Salary (SMI), which the Executive wants to place at 60% of the Spanish average salary.

Garamendi has expressed his surprise at beginning to introduce the SMI in the public debate "in July, when they talk in December with the data about how the economy is going to go."

The president of the employers has pointed out that "there are nine autonomies where the SMI is higher than the average salary" and has asked to be careful with "breaking the bands below" because they can "shoot all upwards".

In addition, he has urged to address "a drama" of the Spanish labor market that is the lack of personnel in construction, hospitality or dual training. "We are talking about digitization, sustainability. We don't have people, how are we going to manage European funds if we don't have people", she questioned during lunch.

In this sense, he has warned that European funds "are not reaching the productive fabric", and has cited sectors such as the automobile or SMEs, although he has recognized that they are satisfied with the 'digital kit'.

Finally, Garamendi considers necessary "a tool to evaluate" the performance of the funds, because "it is a great opportunity."

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