Works council elections in Spain

Figures from the Spanish works council elections show that the two main confederation the CCOO (Comisiones Obreras) and the UGT (Uni¢n General de Trabajadores) have maintained and in fact slightly increased the extent of their support.

The figures published by the CCOO cover the period January 1996 to December 1999. They show that of the 243,400 works council members elected, three-quarters came from the two main confederations. This represents an increased level of support for the two main confederations compared with the last elections in 1995. Thirty eight per cent of those elected were from the CCOO (compared with 37.7% in 1995) and 36.7% from the UGT (up from 35.3%). The remaining unions, which include regionally-based and company-based unions as well as other groupings such as a large independent civil service union provided 25.3% of works council members (down from 27% in 1995). In 1995 all the works councils elections took place more or less at the same time. However, more recently works council elections have been spread over several years, in part to reduce rivalry between unions.

Overall the number of works council members elected has increased by 9% compared with 1995 and the number of cases where a works council has been elected has gone up by 6%. Clear evidence of what the CCOO describes as "an increased level of trade unionisation."