The Ertzaintza unions have risen up and abandoned the meeting they had called with the Basque Government to discuss working conditions days before the start of the Tour.
The confrontation between the Ertzaintza unions and the Security department grows with a week to go before the start of the Tour de France in Bilbao.
The meeting between the two at the Erandio (Bizkaia) police station was very brief.
The Erne, Esan, Euspel and Sipe unions have not seen anything new in the Security proposal with respect to the one that caused the breakdown of the negotiation.
El Tour
In his opinion, the offer has been “an insult” and “a lack of respect.”
In this context, the centrals maintain the mobilization announced for Tuesday in Vitoria.
They have also called another protest on Thursday in Bilbao on the occasion of the presentation of the Tour de France departure from the Biscayan capital the following Saturday.
“The ball is in the court of Mr. Erkoreka – the Security Councilor – and the lehendakari”, said the representative of Sipe Juan Carlos Sáenz.
The union representative has made both responsible for “what will happen on the day of the Tour.”
“Is it going to guarantee -the Tour-? I cannot guarantee anything to anyone ”, she pointed out.
Security calls the union attitude “irresponsible”
For the Security department, the attitude of the Ertzaintza unions is “intransigent, unrealistic and irresponsible”.
After the unsuccessful meeting, the counselor Josu Erkoreka has thus described the attitude of the unions for asking for a linear rise that they know is “illegal”.
In a press conference held in Bilbao, Erkoreka has stated that the unions have refused to discuss the 37 proposals of the department.
“Even”, he said, they have refused to explain and discuss their own claims if previously the Basque Government did not admit a linear salary increase for all agents.
Erkoreka has estimated at more than 100 million, “without any doubt”, the impact that the police claim would have on the accounts of the Basque Government.
The counselor has called the unions to “sanity, realism and institutional responsibility.”
He has asked them to “reconsider” and return to the negotiating table.
The counselor has been convinced that the three stages of the start of the Tour de France that pass through Euskadi will not be boycotted by the ertzainas.
“The union movement itself and the unions have reiterated their adherence to the Tour and that they will not act against it,” he stated.
union demands
The demands of the Ertzaintza unions focus on requesting homologation with the highest paid municipal police officer.
At the same time, they demand an improvement in the materials and resources provided to the ertzainas.
In another press conference in Bilbao, the unions have affirmed that Security lies about the salaries that the agents receive.
They have also accused him of turning society against him with “a campaign of smear and lies.”
Regarding their economic claim, they have shown themselves willing to negotiate.
“We can become flexible if there is a commitment to stop being third-class officials,” they have assured.
Likewise, they have requested that Lehendakari Urkullu and Minister Erkoreka become involved in the negotiations.
Situation of the Ertzaintza
The unions have started the information event by projecting a video on the situation of the Ertzaintza that “the Basque Government does not want to show”.
The video showed deteriorated uniforms, facilities and vehicles.
As they have argued, the conflict generated “transcends the Ertzaintza.”
“It is a country problem, which affects the ertzainas and the citizens”, they have considered. EFE