UGT once again proclaims Pepe Álvarez general secretary with the aim of reducing the working day to 32 hours per week

No surprises in the script, Pepe Alvarez was re-elected this morning general secretary of UGTin what will be his third and last term. He 44th Confederal Congress of the union, held in Barcelona since last Monday, has come to a close today with the proclamation of the voting results for the new executive committee and other organs.

Álvarez’s continuity in the leadership admitted few doubts as he was the only candidate for the general secretary. The leader of UGT since 2016, the year in which he replaced the historic Candido Mendez (general secretary since 1994), has obtained a 79,44% of support among delegates with the right to vote, a figure below the 86% that he achieved at the 2021 Confederal Congress of Valencia, but well above the 51% with which he reached the top eight years ago.

As announced by the general secretary of the UGT of Catalonia, Camil Rosthe new executive committee has been elected with 627 votes in favor152 blank and 10 null.

Reduction of working hours

Álvarez has marked as one of the main points of his new roadmap the reduction of working hours. The general secretary made it clear the day before yesterday, in his inaugural speech, that UGT aspires to go beyond the 37.5 hours per week that is currently proposed by the Government. “They are only a way station to reach the objective of the 32 hours“, said.

The rise of Minimum Interprofessional Wage (SMI) is another of the key issues in social dialogue. Both UGT and CCOO They demand that the basic remuneration for 2025 increase around 5% and 6% from the current ones 1.134 euros monthly gross payments in 14 payments (1,323 euros in 12 payments if the extraordinary payments are prorated). Since 2018 (736 euros per month), the SMI has accumulated an increase of 54%. “We want the European Social Charter is applied forcefully and the minimum wage is at least 60% of the average salary in the country,” claimed the UGT leader.

In his closing speech and referring to the congress motto (“More and better union”), Álvarez said that “more union means putting our foot down extreme rightmore rights, more democracy and more freedom in capital letters.” “We must put an end to the extreme right, let’s not give it any chance,” he insisted.

Likewise, the newly proclaimed general secretary has indicated as “one of the fundamental objectives” for the union “that workers can have access to decent housing, in conditions in accordance with salaries.” And, to this end, he has demanded “a State pact” on this matter and that the rental prices: “Let the speculators and vulture funds get their paws out of our homes.”

Born in 1956 in the Asturian town of Belmonte de MirandaÁlvarez led UGT of Catalonia between 1990 and 2016, the year in which, after making the leap to national leadership, he was replaced by Ros, who defined him as “our union father” in a closing day that began to the rhythm of Hello beautiful and with the classic culmination of The International.