Garamendi, reelegido presidente de CEOE para otros cuatro años

Antonio Garamendi, the president of the Spanish Confederation of Employers' Associations (CEOE), has been reelected for a third term at the Electoral Assembly held in Madrid on Thursday. As the sole candidate for the CEOE presidency, Garamendi will continue in office for another four years, without the need for a new vote. Since announcing his intention to run for re-election in June, Garamendi has garnered support from numerous member organizations, including the Madrid Chamber of Commerce (CEIM), Catalonia's Foment, the Basque Country's Confebask, Confemetal, ATA, Asedas, Mercadona and Lidl.

This widespread backing, beyond what was necessary for his candidacy, demonstrates the strong support Garamendi enjoys from both territorial and sectorial organizations.

Garamendi's third term as CEOE president began in November 2022, amidst tensions with the Ministry of Labor over legislative initiatives. During his previous term, Garamendi clashed with Second Deputy Prime Minister and Labor Minister Yolanda Díaz over issues such as reducing the working week to 37.5 hours, reforms to work schedules, dismissal laws, minimum wage increases, and excluding bonuses and salary supplements from the minimum wage index.

In the upcoming term, Garamendi will need to address the registration hours reform, salary supplements reform, a new minimum wage increase, and other economic challenges amid inflation driven by rising energy costs. Additionally, negotiations with trade unions CCOO and UGT will be crucial as they will define the wage lines for collective agreements in the coming years.