Angela de Miguel, candidate for Cepyme’s ‘throne’: “The confrontation only leaves holes so that the government can continue suffocating SMEs”

Is chosen by Antonio Garamendi To compete against Gerardo Cuerva In the elections that Cepyme will celebrate on May 20. Angela de Miguel (Valladolid, 1971) presents itself as the candidate to recover a business unit of action that has been deteriorating while the president of the CEOE has been losing confidence in the current leader of the Employers of SMEs. Is at stake not only the throne of Cepyme, but the representativeness of the business organization itself in the institutional spaces of social dialogue.

Why do you think Antonio Garamendi has chosen it?

He was looking for a person who dedicated himself to 100% to make a very active defense of the SME at a complicated moment. We are in an uncertain geopolitical context and a person is needed with body and soul to analyze what problems there are and how they can be solved, at the same time to support SME to improve its competitiveness internally.

In the pools there were heavyweights of great employers. Didn’t they want to take the step?

I don’t know. For anyone who represents an organization, in a country in which 99.8% of companies are SMEs, there is no better opportunity than being president of Cepyme.

Have you felt used in this internal war?

At no time. I think this is being considered erroneously. What is being discussed is the model we want for SMEs. It is not a confrontation between two people, as we wanted to make us see. We are talking about two models. We want a differentiated voice within a unit of unity between CEOE, Cepyme and ATA.

To date has received important support. Do you trust to accumulate more than the other candidate?

The management bodies of organizations have their times and we will respect them. But there are the supports and I have no doubt that many more are going to leave.

Cuerva backed down the modification of the regulation. Does the unlimited delegate vote benefit your candidacy?

The problem is to change the laws to this to obtain an advantage in an electoral process. The important thing was to maintain the same rules that have governed Cepyme during these years, benefit who benefits. We cannot be opportunistic or personalists. The vast majority of the organization has defended maintaining the rules so as not to make any change that may affect the electoral process.

But with the formula of the secret vote Cuerva won the vote to eliminate the unlimited delegate vote …

In that vote, most of the vote was a delegate and the one who had the most votes was the president. It is curious and incongruous that to modify something that considers wrong to take the vote with delegated votes. I suppose that many people who delegated the vote did not imagine that what happened in that board of directors was going to happen.

Have you already chosen your Executive Committee?

We are in that process. I will make it known when you make the official presentation of the candidacy, which can be done up to 10 days before the elections.

They have transcended Garamendi pressures to organizations to capture their vote, even economic pressures. Does this condition you when it comes to forming your team?

The teams are made up of the representativeness of territorial and sectoral organizations. It is not a personal issue. I don’t know where those rumors have come from. I know the situation of Ceoe Valladolid and we are economically independent. From the economic point of view, pressure cannot be exerted, so I do not understand where that has come from. It seems really surprising and strange.

Is the origin of the conflict between Cuerva and Garamendi in the manifesto against the government led by Cepyme?

I do not believe that in that manifesto there is anything that we have not said the vast majority of the representatives of the 4,000 business organizations that we are part of CEOE. We are all against excessive fiscal pressure and increased quotes, bureaucratic burden and this government that is demonizing the figure of the entrepreneur, which we have to claim.

Where is the problem then?

What we would have liked is that this manifesto was a whole and had negotiated between Ceoe, Cepyme and Ata, because it would have had a much greater impact.

And why wasn’t it negotiated jointly?

That will have to be asked to the one who kept him a secret and took him out without agreeing.

If the manifesto was not the reason for the break, what was it?

The problem has arisen much longer because Cepyme has not been present where it has to be. If in six years the only thing you have done has been that document … You could have done many more things.

He has accused Cuerva of leaving Cepyme’s chair empty at some social dialogue tables. He has said that is false …

At the temporary disability table it has not been.

The head of the socio -labor department of Cepyme has come to the technical meetings in the Ministry of Social Security.

I have not said in any case that the Cepyme team does not do their job. It is a really good team and has very good negotiators. But there is a management body that is the one that decides where the team is going. If the team is not because the address has decided not to go.

Defend your own voice from the unit in CEOE. Cuerva has warned that if Cepyme does not mark own profile other organizations can take their place in social dialogue. Does it coincide?

Six years ago nobody questioned Cepyme’s representativeness. We will have to consider what we have done at this time. Maybe we have not been strong enough with the defense of SMEs and that is why we are leaving spaces that others can occupy. This candidacy is born precisely because we want to be more present in the defense of the interests of the SME. For me it is unthinkable to be in a position like Cepyme president and not kill me for defending SMEs. And this must be done within the unit with CEOE and Ata, because it is not incompatible.

Who benefits the internal war?

There are those who are thinking that we have to go to confrontation and kill each other among us, among companies. That is the only thing to do is leave gaps so that the government can continue suffocating SMEs. The more spaces let’s leave, the easier it will be that anti -patient policy see the light. When one presents a united front and does not leave fissures, it is much more difficult that they can strain so much regulations that it is doing so much damage, especially to the SME.

Is it good to the government?

Definitely. If we are united, we have a tougher and more effective position in the face of any public policy that may pretend to make this government that is harmful to companies.

What will change regarding the management of Cuerva?

First, you have to have a stronger presence. You have to denounce the situation that SMEs live and be propositive at social dialogue tables, both in Spain and in Europe. You have to go to a much less personalist model and be close to SME. It is important to work in measures to help SMEs gain size and be more competitive. And also in innovation, digitalization … as well as in internationalization. We have a lot of export.

How will the SMEs of Trump tariffs defend?

The defense has to be done from Europe, so the presence of Cepyme in European business organizations is important. On the other hand, we must help SME that exports to the US with tools that allow him to go to alternative markets. It is necessary to prevent companies from being destroyed. It would be dramatic.

How do you see the government negotiating? Do you think that the Minister of Economy understands the needs of companies that the Minister of Labor?

I see myself negotiating every policy on the table. I will support positions that are positive for SMEs and I will oppose myself firmly, I will get up and I will not sign an agreement when they will have a negative impact. I do not give me the same who proposes a policy or what ministry will lead a proposal, who approves the norms is the government.

What expects the parliamentary process of the reduction of the working day?

I am convinced that it will not come out because it can be disastrous for Spain. It is an electoral and populist measure that is not even paying off in the vote indicators. Many companies are not prepared and will not be able to assume it. It is not that they oppose, because many are already advancing through collective bargaining, which is the model that includes the Spanish Constitution and that works. The model in which the government unilaterally decides labor regulation can be very harmful to long -term companies.

If she is Cepyme president, will you charge the assigned salary or resign as a crow?

It is important to have a remuneration that allows you to devote yourself full time to defense of the interests of SMEs and that people know exactly what you are getting from your organization, by a principle of transparency.