Yolanda Díaz Critiques Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo Over Workday Reduction Opposition
Yolanda Díaz, the Vice President of the Government, voiced her strong criticism this morning against Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo for his opposition to the recently agreed reduction of the workday. This decision was made in conjunction with the Minister of Labor and the unions at the end of December last year. In an interview on RNE, Díaz expressed that Cuerpo's stance is 'very serious' and noted that such a situation has never occurred before. She described his remarks as almost reflecting a 'bad person' attitude towards the working people of Spain, particularly concerning his refusal to support a half-hour daily reduction in working hours.
Díaz highlighted that Cuerpo reiterated his position during another interview on public radio, where he stressed the need for additional time to implement the workday reduction effectively. 'I cannot comprehend that a socialist minister is opposing an agreement with the unions. Even Nadia Calviño did not dare to go that far,' she stated, emphasizing her disbelief at Cuerpo's dissent.
Despite the opposition from Cuerpo, Díaz remains optimistic about the future of the workday reduction. She anticipates that the reduction will go through and that the socialist part of the Government will take credit for it, similarly to how they celebrated achievements with the minimum wage increase, labor reform, and ERTES.
For Díaz, it is pivotal for Cuerpo to clarify his position regarding support for the working class. She pointed out that two out of three Spaniards are in favor of reducing the workday, indicating a broad public backing for the initiative. Currently, she claimed that only two groups are opposed to the reduction: the far-right and employers. 'Mr. Cuerpo must determine his allegiance—whether he is with the unions and the working people of this country or aligning himself with those who dismiss the reduction,' Díaz urged.
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