Pimec meets with Sánchez with the main demand for entry into the CES

BarcelonaThe employers' association Pimec received a visit from the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, at its headquarters in Barcelona on Monday. This meeting was led by the entity's president, Antoni Cañete, and with representatives from the Catalan business community. Pimec took advantage of the meeting to explain to Sánchez that Spain "needs its SMEs to grow in size in order to compete on equal terms with the rest of Europe."

Sources present at the meeting explained to ARA that, in this regard, the employers' association has made clear its demand to Sánchez to "unblock Pimec's entry into the Economic and Social Council (CES)" in order to have a voice in social dialogue and ensure "that SMEs grow in size." The employers' association has been demanding this seat for years, and recalls that the fact that SMEs are smaller in Catalonia and Spain is mainly because "they have not been represented in the Spanish social dialogue, which has consequences such as a high bureaucracy burden, paying the most expensive energy in Europe and a long etcetera that has made it present in the social dialogue, such as the incorporation of Pimec to the State Council of SMEs and the National Advisory Commission on Collective Agreements (CCNCC). In this sense, it demanded compliance with the law and urged "unblocking" pending issues, such as the expired appointments of the new CES, for "the government is working" and that "Pimec will enter the CES soon."

Another topic discussed during the meeting was the reduction of the working day, during which Pimec explained its position to the President of the Spanish Government, according to which "it must be addressed from a 360-degree perspective." Cañete has explained on several occasions that it's not that Pimec "is against the reduction of the working day, but that the organization of the working day must be discussed openly," but through dialogue with the business community.

In this regard, Pimec also expressed its concerns about the new law on time control to President Sánchez, to which Sánchez stated that he has "a pending conversation with the minister," according to sources present at the meeting.

Likewise, Cañete wanted to emphasize that the chronic underfunding suffered by Catalonia constitutes an additional obstacle to the growth of SMEs and to the competitiveness of the economy as a whole. Other current issues were also addressed during the meeting, such as BBVA's takeover bid for Banc Sabadell and the impact it could have on SMEs' access to financing, the increasing difficulty in finding qualified personnel, high absenteeism, and bureaucracy.

Pimec will also meet this Wednesday with the president of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, in a meeting-debate with the president of the employers' association and the board of directors.

More meetings

Pedro Sánchez's visit to Catalonia this Monday also included a visit to the Sant Cugat Regional Health Centre (CAR), which he visited with the Minister of Education and Spanish government spokesperson, Pilar Alegría; the President of the Generalitat (Catalan Government), Salvador Illa; and the Spanish government delegate in Catalonia, Carlos Prieto. Also present were the Minister of Sports of the Generalitat (Catalan Government), Berni Álvarez, and the President of the Higher Sports Council, José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes.

Furthermore, the Spanish Prime Minister attended the opening of the global summit of culture ministers, Mondiacult, where he emphasized that culture is a "commitment" to freedom, dignity, memory, and peace. Finally, Sánchez also visited the sixth edition of Barcelona New Economy Week (BNEW) this Monday afternoon, organized by the Barcelona Free Trade Zone Consortium (CZFB) and held at DFactory Barcelona.