labour market

The Catalan Council for Constitutional Guarantees states that the Spanish Labour Reform is unconstitutional

April 5, 2012 11:45 PM | CNA

This advisory body dependent on the Catalan Government affirms that two aspects of the Labour Reform Law, recently approved by the Spanish Government, go against the Spanish Constitution. Furthermore, the report also highlights three elements that invade the Catalan Government’s jurisdiction. The four Left-Wing Catalan parties that requested the assessment one month ago are pushing for the reform to be brought to the Constitutional Court. CiU, who runs the Catalan Government, hopes to modify these aspects through parliamentary negotiations.

General Strike: irregular support, massive demonstrations, isolated violence and no changes in the Labour Reform Law

March 30, 2012 04:38 PM | CNA / Gaspar Pericay Coll

The General Strike on March 29th ended without significant changes in the Spanish Government’s Labour Reform, but with a clear acknowledgement that there is growing social anger. The strike was unevenly supported in Catalonia. Unions talked about sector strike participation ranging between 97% and 57% and the Catalan Government about strike participations ranging between 24% and 10%. Minimum services worked as planned, without any significant incidents. Demonstrations took place in the main Catalan cities, with the largest in Barcelona. Isolated violent incidents were the only negative parts of what was a relatively calm day.

Quebec finds qualified workers in Catalonia

March 20, 2012 11:12 PM | CNA / Victor Paradis / Esther Romagosa

Representatives from the Quebec Government have organised sessions to advertise job possibilities in their region. They are mainly looking for workers with technical skills, mainly in the sector of civil engineering, healthcare, and IT. The Catalan Government reached an agreement with Quebec to strengthen the professional mobility of Catalan workers. The participation of Catalan companies in the plans for economic development of the Quebecois Government is also promoted.

The Catalan Government reforms the jobseeker model

February 20, 2012 11:49 PM | CNA / Esther Romagosa

The plan has a €420 million euro budget for 2012 and aims to foster quality education by changing the current system based on subsidising training courses offered by job-placement organisations and municipalities for another model based on framework contracts and grouping the actors involved. The Catalan Deputy Minister for Employment and Labour Relations explained that the new plan would include specific policies aimed at young people, the disadvantaged, as well as for the sectors and territories hardest hit by the economic crisis.

Mas meets with Rajoy to build a relationship “based on trust” and offers cooperation

February 2, 2012 01:32 PM | CNA / Patricia Mateos / Gaspar Pericay Coll

The President of the Catalan Government, Artur Mas, has offered Spain’s Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy; cooperation regards Spain’s structural reforms, such as the Labour Market reform. Mas has not put prior conditions on the table, but only wants to “be able to talk about a new fiscal agreement between Catalonia and Spain”. He said he understands that this is not an “urgent priority for Rajoy”, but it is a “crucial issue” for Catalonia and “an opportunity” for Spain. Mas stressed that his cooperation would not be indefinite, and would have to be renewed in the future. The Catalan President told FAZ about a possible “federation” or “confederation” between Catalonia and Spain.

Unemployment in Catalonia falls in December, but increased by 9.17% in 2011

January 3, 2012 09:04 PM | CNA

At the end of 2011 there were 614,244 people registered as unemployed in Catalonia, 9.17% more than a year ago. However, unemployment dropped in December by 1,425 people, after it stabilised in November, leaving September and October as the worst months of the year. In stark contrast to Catalonia, the rest of Spain experienced an increase in unemployment in December and 2011 ended with 4,422,359 people signing on the register, 7.86% more than at the end of 2010.

Transversal agreement in Catalonia to renew the labour relations framework and foster “negotiated flexibility”

November 29, 2011 12:30 AM | CNA / Gaspar Pericay Coll

The Catalan Government has signed an agreement with the main trade unions and business association to foster “negotiated flexibility” within the labour market. The aim is to provide companies with a greater flexibility framework while securing jobs. The President of the Catalan Government, Artur Mas, suggested the new Spanish Government follow Catalonia’s example of reaching an agreement with the social agents to improve the labour market.

The Catalan Government presents an action plan to fight unemployment

October 26, 2011 12:40 AM | CNA

The Catalan Minister for Business and Employment has stressed that the Government’s objective is to reduce unemployment by half by 2014. The plan foresees ten measures, with a special focus on the long-term unemployed. Some of the measures include incentives to SME companies to hire the long-term unemployed, collaborating with private temporary work agencies, enlarging the network of education classrooms and relocating staff from the Catalan Public Employment Service to provide job search council and other direct services.

The worst September in 15 years, 16,282 more people registered as unemployed in Catalonia

October 5, 2011 12:03 AM | CNA / Gaspar Pericay Coll

September has been a bad month for employment over the last number of years, but this past September is the worst in the last 11 years. The Spanish Government has blamed the budget cuts undergone by the Autonomous Communities for the unemployment increase. The Spokesperson for the Catalan Government considers Madrid’s statements as “offensive” and “pitiful”, and he stressed that the Spanish Government had asked them to double their public spending cuts. He also added that the Spanish Government has not paid the money that it owes.

The IMF considers that Spain’s greatest financial risk is certain Autonomous Communities not meeting the deficit objective

June 22, 2011 01:30 PM | CNA / Gaspar Pericay Coll

The International Monetary Fund wants the Spanish Government to “strengthen” the labour market reform, not give up on spending cuts and restructure the financial system. The same day, the Bank of Spain's Governor, Miguel Angel Fernández Ordóñez asked the Spanish Minister for Economy to be “stricter” on the Autonomous Community government’s deficit reduction. The Catalan Minister for Finance said on several occasions that Catalonia would meet the deficit objective for 2011 if the Spanish Government showed some institutional loyalty and paid the money it legally owes to Catalonia.