On Monday, ANAFRIC presented its platform of issues for negotiation at the meeting of the Negotiating Committee for the National Collective Bargaining Agreement for the Meat Industry, held in Madrid. The aim is to complement the business proposal put forward by ANICE and FECIC and to contribute new, specific demands linked to the production and organizational realities of companies in the sector.
ANAFRIC’s proposals stem from the need to adapt the agreement to the current circumstances of the meat industry, especially regarding organizational flexibility, occupational health and safety, absenteeism, disciplinary procedures, and the alignment of certain labor obligations with the operational needs of companies.
Among the main issues raised, ANAFRIC proposes specifying the circumstances under which the performance-based system can be suspended when unforeseen situations arise that affect production or marketing, such as health emergencies impacting productivity. In these cases, the proposal stipulates that performance-based compensation be suspended.
The platform also proposes reviewing the proportion of professional categories for blue-collar workers, establishing a system that allows for a distribution more closely aligned with the actual workforce structure of companies. It also proposes extending the notice period for subordinate and blue-collar staff to fifteen days in the event of voluntary resignation, with the possibility of salary deductions for failure to comply with the notice period.
Regarding disciplinary matters, the employers’ association advocates strengthening the classification of certain serious and very serious offenses, especially in cases of unjustified absences, fraud in timekeeping, simulation of another employee’s presence, or repeated offenses. It also proposes including as a punishable offense the dissemination of recordings or images that could affect the dignity of individuals or seriously damage the company’s image, always respecting the legitimate exercise of workers’ rights.
In the area of occupational safety and health, ANAFRIC proposes regulating mandatory medical examinations in particularly sensitive positions, such as operating machinery or positions involving the use of sharp objects, always in accordance with the provisions of occupational risk prevention regulations.
The platform also proposes introducing preventive alcohol and drug testing in those workplaces where, according to the risk assessment, there may be a risk to the worker or to third parties. These measures must adhere to the principles of necessity, proportionality, and suitability to the risk, respecting in all cases the dignity, privacy, and confidentiality of workers.
Finally, it proposes regulating the obligation of workers to inform their employers when they are on temporary disability leave, regardless of the administrative processing of the leave, confirmation, or medical discharge in accordance with current regulations.
With this platform, ANAFRIC aims to contribute to a realistic, balanced, and beneficial negotiation for the entire sector, one that will preserve the competitiveness of meat companies, strengthen legal certainty, and adapt the agreement to current production needs.
