Social dialogue. The Metropolitan Area of Barcelona (WBA) has agreed with UGT, CCOO and the bosses foster Y Pimec an agreement to reactivate the area, the most industrial territory, with 5% of the gross domestic product (GDP) and 52% of employment and population (43% of the total) of Catalonia, and which confirms, in turn, the need of attracting investment and “marks the way towards industry technology transition“.
While the national pact for industry, promoted by the Generalitat, remains stalled, social dialogue initiatives are emerging in other areas aimed at promoting increase. The step taken by the AMB is specified in the Economic Reactivation and Reindustrialization Table, created in 2019, whose conclusions have been presented by Montserrat Ballarín, vice president of the AMB.
The consensus document, approved by the Metropolitan Council of the AMB, at its meeting on Tuesday, includes 420 performances which have also been sent to the Generalitat so that it can be included in the national pact for industry. Most are cross-cutting initiatives and range from accelerating the technological transition or concentrating efforts on business innovation and R&D&I promoting the green and circular economy.
Another aspect is the promotion of proximity trade and the decentralization of the tourism model to the entire metropolitan area. Another aspect is the commitment to vocational training (FP) dual and transversal digital skills.
Modernization of industrial estates
The document defends modernize industrial estates so that its uses are diversified and there is greater flexibility and versatility. In turn, as a pillar to be able to apply the measures, “inter-administrative collaboration” is advocated, agreed with the different social and economic organizations.
In this sense, the AMB, which lacks powers in energy, participates in promoting the creation of energy communities in industrial estates and economic activity, but which suffer from administrative difficulties. Another of the elements highlighted by the different social agents is the need to facilitate access and mobility in industrial estates and economic activity.
The CCOO representative, Aurora Huerga, has highlighted the value of dialogue and the “clear” commitment to the industry and has criticized the fact that the national pact for the industry has not yet been launched by not incorporating measures that, in her opinion, organization are necessary.
Rosa Fiol, from Foment, has also defended the role of industry and, therefore, ecosystems and estates with adequate services and mobility facilities.
Joan Pera, from Pimec, has highlighted the value of putting the needs in common among the different social agents to reactivate the economy. He has underlined the process of restructuring the sector, which will require measures such as recycling with greater digitization for those who want to continue and facilitating retirement for those who want it.
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Omar Minguillón, from UGT, has also underlined the joint work carried out by the social agents and has criticized the central government and the Generalitat for not implementing measures to support the industry, as well as the slowness in the application of European funds ‘Next Generation ‘, which contrasts with that of Portugal.
In the past term in the WBA, a similar table was already launched for the 2015-2019 period. The metropolitan action plan for the current mandate (2019-2023) already provided for renewing the formula, which has been delayed due to the outbreak of the pandemic.