Self-employed workers protest for 'fair' taxing system and labor improvements

Self-employed workers demonstrated on Sunday to demand a "fair" tax burden and labor improvements.

The action was called by the platform Dignity for the Self-Employed in cities such as Barcelona, ​​Girona, and Tarragona.

In the southern city of Tarragona, local police estimate that 700 people gathered.

Among other measures, Xavier Pallarès, spokesperson for the platform, proposed establishing quotas based on turnover and promoting policies that equate the situation of employees and the self-employed in terms of subsidies.

"It cannot be that I, for example, have been on leave for three months and have had to continue paying the self-employed quota without gaining income," he said.

"If the previous months have not gone well for me, I have to ask for a loan to be able to pay the quota," Pallarès added. "It is not feasible, we cannot continue paying to work."

The self-employed workers also raised issues of improvements to request unemployment benefits, sick leave, or retirement benefits to combat job insecurity. "What a salaried worker has, we should also have for the self-employed", he added.

Red gloves and black t-shirts were seen during the march, as organizers say this illustrates a "bleeding" and a "moment of mourning" for the group.

In Tarragona, throughout the march, protesters chanted slogans in favor of the self-employed group, as well as denouncing the labor situation they live with.

Banners and signs also called for a comprehensive reform of the cessation of activity and changes in social protection to equalize rights with salaried employees, among other measures.