Spanish unions fall out over pensions

The two main Spanish union confederations, the CCOO and the UGT, have taken radically different positions on a pensions deal reached last month with the government and employers. While the CCOO signed the agreement, arguing that it brought important improvements, the UGT refused.

UGT general secretary C ndido M‚ndez said the UGT was not just opposed to the content, which he said failed sufficiently to protect the interests of employees, but also because of its implications.

The UGT has pushed for a general strike against earlier government plans on dismissal laws (see Labour Research April 2001 page 8), something the CCOO is unwilling to support.