Unions and small businesses refuse to open more days
Archive image of Triana street on a commercial opening day. /
They reject the claims of the Government of the Canary Islands, which is working on a new law for the sector. It is intended to increase in two the days in which it can be opened on Sundays and holidays. Warn of mobilizations
The most representative unions in the Canary Islands and with the greatest weight in the commercial sector -
grassroots unionists (together with USO and integrated into the Canarian Trade Union Federation),
CC OO and UGT- They fully reject increasing by two days, up to twelve, the commercial opening days on Sundays and holidays in the Canary Islands. The small business, through
Cecapymealso rejects the proposal.
As CANARIAS7 announced a few weeks ago, the Government of the Canary Islands is working on a
new trade law, which replaces the previous one, from 2012 and which has become outdated. The new norm contemplates increasing the days of commercial opening to respond to the demand of a society that has changed its purchasing habits. In addition, the new regulations intend to introduce the necessary flexibility so that, if at any time and due to special circumstances it becomes necessary to increase those days, it can be done without modifying the law.
The unions warn that they will
give battle to prevent the increase in openings and are willing to go to demonstrations in the street to stop it. As they point out, more opening days will not mean more employment.
Unions warn that it will bring business closures
“The current squad will be redeployed. It can only bring more destruction of small businesses and less reconciliation of work and family life for workers," says the secretary general of
Grassroots Unionists, Manuel Fitas, which criticizes the "invention" of the businessmen of the days of tourist influx to be able to open more days. "It would be one more twist for the small ones in the midst of a serious global economic crisis and with it, it will bring job destruction to these businesses," adds Fitas.
From Workers Commissions
(CCOO), the head of Trade,
Medina Medina Arocha points out that his organization is "totally against" raising the opening days to 12 because it "precarizes" employment and favors the growth of large businesses to the detriment of small ones. “The large shopping areas are full of closed businesses that cannot compete with the big ones. More opening days will mean more destruction of small businesses, ”sure Medina.
According to him, the opening of trade during the cruise season has not served to create employment and if it has generated any, it has been precarious. “If a worker is needed for hours or days on the weekend, that is not a quality job,” says Medina, who warns: “now a good battle begins because we are not going to allow it.”
For his part, from
UGTthe deputy secretary general of the Federation of Services, Mobility and Consumption (Fesmc),
Yves Francoheeither, considers that "it is not necessary" to extend the days. “Even if more days or hours are opened, the cost of the canary is going to be the same. This can only bring about the destruction of small businesses and employment," says Franquelo, who considers that the qualification of some areas as having a large tourist influx has only been an "invention" for a "disguised" extension of business hours.
Small businesses are also on your side. As indicated yesterday by the president of the Canarian Confederation of Small and Medium Enterprises
(Cecapyme), Jose Juan Socas, increasing the days of commercial opening implies higher costs and small businesses do not have the capacity to face it. “In our opinion we have reached the limit of opening days. A few years ago there were eight and now there are ten. They are enough," says Socas.
More options for the consumer
On the other side of the balance are the greats of the commercial sector of the Canary Islands.
The general secretary of the Association of Medium and Large Distribution Companies of the Canary Islands
(Asodiscan), Alfredo Medinaconsiders that making business hours more flexible benefits the economy as a whole.
"It means more activity, more employment, more tax collection and boosts business in commercial areas," says Medina.
Remember that the national law establishes 16 days of possible commercial opening and that the Canary Islands have so far opted for the minimum of 10. «
E-commerce has completely changed reality and we have to give facilities to the consumer”, he indicates.
Their data, compared to those handled by the unions, is that the qualification of the tourist influx areas and their opening has generated more employment and activity.
