Pardon for the 'Six from La Suiza': A Triumph for Union Rights in Spain

Just five days ago, Asturian musician Rodrigo Cuevas made an impassioned plea for the pardon of the 'Six from La Suiza' during his appearance on the program 'La Revuelta'. After presenting a traditional Asturian hat, the 'montera picona', to comedian David Broncano, Cuevas held up a t-shirt emblazoned with 'Llibertá 6 de la Suiza Compañeres nun tais soles'. This t-shirt served as a stark reminder of the six union members—five men and one woman from Gijón—who faced convictions for their union activities. With a pardon promised by the Government, Cuevas emphasized that they had been waiting for it for an indeterminate length of time, stating, "The left does things very slowly." Today, Cuevas's hopeful anticipation became a reality as the Council of Ministers is set to approve the long-awaited pardon for the 'Six from La Suiza', who had been sentenced to three and a half years in prison for defending a CNT colleague who endured sexual and labor harassment by her former boss at the Gijón pastry shop, La Suiza. This act of grace was requested by the Ministry of Labor and Social Economy, led by Yolanda Díaz, who had previously met with the union members just before they were scheduled to enter prison in July 2025. "This has never happened in democracy," proclaimed Díaz, as she committed the Spanish Government to processing the pardon. In the face of the backlash received following the conviction, the Ministry of Labor has consistently defended the legitimacy of union actions, highlighting the workers' rights to strike, mobilization, and organization. This has been recognized as crucial in a democratic society, as echoed in the Ministry’s statements on Monday. Government officials, however, indicated that the brief time frame between Cuevas's intervention on RTVE and the approval of the pardon is merely coincidental. They acknowledged that bureaucratic processes often take time, with government sources lamenting the slow-moving nature of administrative procedures. Once the pardon is finalized in the Council and published in the Official State Bulletin, the six convicted individuals will be restored to their full freedom. Currently, since July 18, they have been in a semi-liberty status, required to return to prison at night during the week. Support groups for the six celebrated the news on Monday but cautioned that their situation should not have reached this point in the first place; they labeled it an injustice from the outset. The group noted that while this is a moment for individual jubilation, the broader issue remains dire, as the criminalization of protest—especially union actions—persists, evidenced by various court rulings. For now, the CNT union remains vigilant and cautious, awaiting official notification of the pardon details before making any public statements or positions. As for the case itself, it dates back to June 15, 2015, when a worker at La Suiza sought permission to leave her job due to health concerns, only to be denied by her employer. After a heated exchange involving her partner, the employee was forced to take medical leave due to the risk of miscarriage. Subsequently, she reached out to the CNT for assistance in negotiating her dismissal, citing stress, anxiety, and experiences of labor and sexual harassment. The union attempted to negotiate a dignified exit for her, proposing compensation of 6000 euros, but the employer refused. Following failed negotiations, protests were organized outside the pastry shop, leading to the owner's complaints and eventually, in June 2021, the sentencing of six union members to three and a half years in prison for serious coercion. Notably, the judge overseeing the case, Lino Rubio Mayo, had also presided over other significant labor-related cases involving union members, raising questions about the impartiality of his decisions. Despite the owner's claims the business had suffered due to union pickets, investigations revealed that La Suiza was already in financial distress prior to the protests. The ongoing legal case and the resultant convictions have garnered substantial political, social, and union support. While the pardon request originated in the Ministry of Labor and Social Economy, backing came from nearly all union organizations within Spain, along with various political factions and the Government of Asturias, which is a coalition of PSOE and Izquierda Unida. The approval of the pardon for the 'Six from La Suiza' ultimately represents a broader affirmation of workers' rights and a significant moment for union activism in Spain. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2