Following a strike late last month by International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' (ICEM) union affiliates FSC-CCOO and FIA-UGT, a second shutdown, which was expected to take 17,500 workers out of action, was scheduled for today.
However, an agreement was reached today, which will see a three-year national labour agreement for the paperboard sector, handing a 3% retroactive increase for the 17,500 workers from 1 January 2010.
A 1% salary increase will also be added retroactively from 1 January 2011; additionally an increase of salary comparable with Spain’s consumer price increase (CPI) will also be added. In 2012, another 1% above the CPI will be added.
According to ICEM, the Spanish unions also succeeded in keeping "sweeping flexibility changes" out of the national agreement.
Around 120 paperboard factories come under the agreement.
ICEM pulp and paper officer Dick Blin told PrintWeek: "ICEM is pleased that there will not be any further disruptions in the Spanish paperboard markets. The settlement is good for workers and truly can be attributed to the very high rate of strike involvement by Spanish paperworkers in the 23 February strike."
