CAF employees started their mobilizations today with a two-hour work stoppage, as announced by unions in March. Workers gathered at the factory to protest, and the ELA union reported that the first day saw “widespread participation”.
The call to action has clearly demonstrated the existing discontent and the willingness to respond to the lack of a serious proposal from management.
The LAB union stated in March that the strike schedule was approved to “unblock collective bargaining”. However, ELA emphasized that “negotiations are not blocked”, but denounced that the company “continues without substance and without a real will to move forward”. According to the union, management has not put forward an offer that addresses the needs of the workers.
“"The company still does not guarantee a real salary increase to prevent the loss of purchasing power, does not provide adequate responses to fundamental demands, and maintains unacceptable positions on key issues of the agreement."
In response to this situation, workers have initiated mobilizations to “force management to abandon this stance and bring a serious proposal to the negotiating table”. ELA demands real salary improvements, equalization of working hours between workers and graduates, improvements in licenses, and better conditions for employees who must travel outside the factory for work reasons.
The Works Council has urged CAF management to present an offer “as soon as possible” that is “in line with the demands and the support shown by workers in the mobilizations”, if it wishes to avoid an escalation of the conflict.
