Commerce unions warn multinationals in Spain not to interfere in workplace elections

Powerful manifestation for trade union rights in Spain:
Commerce unions warn multinationals not to interfere in workplace elections

The two Spanish commerce trade unions, FECOHT-CCOO and FETCHTJ-UGT, are approaching this year's workplace elections together with each other. This is a major step in the struggle for trade union rights in Spain.

Large commerce multinationals have used yellow 'trade unions' ever since the Frenaco regime was brough to an end, twenty-five years ago. Strongly supported by UNI Commerce and its affiliates, the Spanish unions will now put an end to this anachronism.

One thousand trade unionists filled a large conference hall in Madrid, to give support for their unions in fighting for trade union rights in Spain's large retail companies. FECOHT-CCOO and FETCHTJ-UGT will approach Novemner's workplace elections in cooperation with each other, to end several decades of intriguing by management and their yellow 'trade unions' FETICO and FASGA.

The yellow 'unions' FASGA and FETICO are indeed keeping up the traditions of the vertical 'trade unions' of the Franco dictatorship years. Dominated by management in leading companies such as Spain's El Corte Inglés, French Carrefour and Genrman Metro, the unions make sure that collective agreement levels are kept sufficiently low for the companies.

At the same time as the yellow 'unions' are openly favorised, active members of the real commerce trade unions are harrassed. This takes place even in companies which declare that they respect legislation and workers' rights, such as Carrefour and Metro. It seems that the central management of these multinationals are unable to control their operations in Spain.

Jan Furstenborg of UNI Commerce said that the Spanish struggle for trade union rights is important also for workers in other countries. If allowed to continue in Spain, yellow trade unionism can spread like a plague also to other countries. Therefore no efforts should be spared in trying to get rid of this anachronism, with its roots in the fascist Franco dictatorship.

Recently, FECOHT-CCOO and FETCHTJ-UGT were hosts to a large manifestation in central Madrid, in defence of trade union rights. Both Spanish and international trade union leaders condemned the government and the companies concerned for supporting what is actually an appalling violation of workers' rights. Speakers included the general secretaries of CCOO and UGT as well as the commerce unions, and several UNI Commerce affiliates from France, Belgium and Portugal.

Speaking at the assembly of some one thousand workers from all parts of Spain, Jan Furstenborg of UNI Commerce warned the companies that their behaviour during the workplace election campaign will be closely monitored. If there are violations of trade union rights, UNI Commerce will immediately intervene in a suitable way, together with its Spanish affiliates. It is clear that any employer interventions in favour of FASGA or FETICO - previously a rule rather than an exception - would violate both fundamental ILO Conventions and the OECD Code of Conduct for multinationals.

UNI Commerce has raised the freedom of association problems in Spain with Carrefour and Metro, and will follow up on these initiatives in the near future.