On Thursday the UGT
and CCOO unions, representing workers in all aspects of the Sherry trade, and
Fedejerez which represents the bodegas, will meet at the negotiating table to try
and thrash out a new deal, but the workers are threatening strike action if Fedejerez does not
soften the stance it has maintained since last month’s meeting failed to reach agreement. Strikes have happened before, like in 1982 and 1991, for example, but at least this time the harvest is done.
Every few years a contract, known as the
Convenio de la Vid, is drawn up, and agreed by both sides. It can be varied by
agreement however, and this happened in the last convenio of 2011-2015, when the
workforce agreed to waive their annual pay rises as a gesture to help the
bodegas through the world financial crisis. Now they want to reintroduce it but
the bodegas are not keen, saying that some have gone out of business and that
the crisis is not over yet.
Furthermore, Fedejerez wants to reduce starting
pay for new staff and end extra payments for length of service, which could
represent some 20% of the pay of a long-serving worker. The bodegas have also
been accused of employing many more part timers. The unions say that the bodegas
are making good profits and are in good shape, especially with all the recent
Asian investment, and will continue to prepare for strike action while not
abandoning the possibility of negotiation.
Drinks Business
Magazine is seeking final entries for the III Global Fortified Masters
competition. Wines
will be blind tasted by a panel of Masters of Wine. They are encouraging small
and medium-sized producers to enter and show how well they can compete with the
big firms. The deadline for entries is September 30. Results will be published
in the magazine, online, and in social media.
No comments:
Post a Comment