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CEOE Quits Government Talks on Dismissal Reform After First Meeting

The employers’ group cites legal certainty over statutory severance, signaling potential court challenges to other labor measures.

Overview

  • CEOE president Antonio Garamendi announced the withdrawal, saying the executive committee decided the group will leave the negotiation table on dismissal rules.
  • The Labour Ministry led by Yolanda Díaz convened an initial meeting this week, which CEOE attended to hear the plan, but no formal proposal was presented.
  • The reform is part of the PSOE–Sumar program and follows European Committee of Social Rights findings that Spain’s capped severance is not sufficiently dissuasive.
  • In July, Spain’s Supreme Court ruled courts cannot increase statutory unfair‑dismissal compensation and deemed CEDS decisions non‑executory, pointing to the need for legislation.
  • Garamendi indicated CEOE could challenge a future minimum wage move in court, while Cepyme highlighted pressure on smaller firms, citing the loss of about 23,000 microenterprises in five years.