In the last two weeks, employers and unions have not found the time to sit down and negotiate what the wage revision to be included in the new Agreement for Employment and Collective Bargaining (AENC) should be. The latest consumer price index (CPI), published in March, put inflation at 9,8%, making the negotiation process even more complicated, especially due to the fear of so-called second-round effects. "We don't know of any imminent meetings," sources close unions and business organisations say. But, while the new AENC continues to be a faraway prospect, wages continue to lose purchasing power.

Once again, dialogue between government, unions and employers has borne its fruit at the very last minute. An agreement has been reached to extend the furlough scheme (ERTE) until 28 February 2022. After many modifications, the final text has the approval of trade unions UGT and CCOO, which have a very "positive" opinion of the text proposed by the Spanish government, as well as employer associations CEOE and Cepyme, which have also ratified the proposal. The measure is expected to be approved by the cabinet today.