Ahead of the meeting at the Balearic government's Consolat de Mar headquarters on Friday, the Pimem small to medium-sized businesses federation reiterated the need for ERTE to remain in force at least until Easter and when there can be economic reactivation.
The president of Pimem, Jordi Mora, stressed that this is essential in order to provide stability and security for companies in the Balearics. There cannot be "improvisation" every three to four months. Instead, there should be a "firm and lasting decision", as is the case in Germany, where there is a validity of eighteen months. "Confidence" is required before the hard months which are to come.
Mora again argued that companies with fifty or fewer employees should get 100% exemption from social security contributions, as was the case during the state of alarm. He voiced his concern at the situation of many workers who will see their ERTE benefit reduced from 75 to 50% at the end of this month. For the self-employed, the situation is "even more delicate", and their benefits can be "very low" - between 600 and 700 euros per month and "with all the fixed costs of their businesses".
The Friday meeting brought together Balearic ministers, the national ministers for employment and social security, Yolanda Díaz and José Luis Escrivá, and business and union leaders.