CCOO and CGT have called for gatherings, demonstrations, and strikes at the Iveco factory in Madrid to demand salary improvements. The conflict coincides with the purchase of the Italian group by Tata Motors.
Workers at the Iveco plant in Madrid are back on the offensive. The unions CCOO and CGT, which hold a majority on the works council, have announced a schedule of mobilisations starting this Tuesday with a gathering in front of the Madrid factory. The protest will last from 11:30 to 13:30, and it will not be the only one: on Thursday, a demonstration is planned to march between the embassies of India and Italy in Madrid.
The objective of the protests is twofold. On one hand, to pressure the management of Iveco to improve its salary offer within the framework of the collective agreement negotiations. On the other, to highlight the discontent regarding the imminent sale of the company to the Indian group Tata Motors, an operation that the unions believe jeopardises the future of the Madrid plant.
An Unconvincing Offer
The management of Iveco has put forward a proposal that includes salary increases of 2.5% in 2026 (plus an additional 1% from August, resulting in an effective increase of 2.93%), 3.5% in 2027, and 2.5% in 2028. Additionally, it includes a salary review clause conditional on future negotiations. However, CCOO and CGT consider this offer insufficient.
According to the unions, the proposed increase for this year would already represent a loss of purchasing power compared to the inflation forecasts from the Bank of Spain. Therefore, they demand that the agreement, valid until 2028, guarantees increases equivalent to the CPI plus one percentage point annually, as well as improvements in working hours, professional categories, and other working conditions.
“The company's offer does not guarantee the purchasing power of workers. We demand an agreement that allows us to maintain our standard of living,” union sources state.
UGT Distances Itself from the Mobilisations
Not all unions support the protests. UGT, which holds the presidency of the works council, has decided to distance itself from the mobilisations after accepting the latest proposal presented by the company. Last Friday, the partial strikes called by CCOO and CGT were described as “massive” by these unions, although UGT's absence diminished the unity of the action.
The union division reflects the complexity of a negotiation that has been ongoing for months. Meanwhile, the workforce at the Madrid factory — which employs more than 2,000 workers — remains in suspense, awaiting both the agreement and the purchase operation by Tata Motors.
Valladolid, the Counterpoint
The conflict in Madrid contrasts with what has happened at Iveco's other major plant in Spain, in Valladolid. There, management and the unions have reached a preliminary agreement that ends, at least temporarily, several months of tension. This agreement includes salary improvements and working conditions that, according to company sources, are similar to those offered in Madrid.
For the Madrid workers, the agreement in Valladolid is another argument to demand a comparable offer. “If they have managed to reach a better agreement in Valladolid, why not here?” CCOO representatives ask. The management, for its part, insists that the situation of each plant is different and that the current offer is the maximum possible given the circumstances.
Mobilisations will continue in the coming days. The unions do not rule out new strike days if the company does not improve its offer. Meanwhile, local residents should be aware of potential traffic disruptions during the gatherings and the demonstration on Thursday.
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