The general secretary of UGT Pepe Álvarez has demanded from Barcelona that the unions participate in the process of searching for an industrial partner in Celsa to accompany the creditor funds after a ruling has granted them ownership. He said it in Barcelona before participating in the inauguration of an exhibition on the 135th anniversary of the union.
UGT asked governments to become more involved in resolving the Celsa conflict. Álvarez reminded the state executive that “he has the possibility of retaining and even preventing the process,” because they have to authorize the restructuring as it is a strategic company. The union needs to add an industrial partner with Spanish capital to the equation to address an issue that “is not minor” because the economy “is at risk for thousands of jobs.”
Furthermore, he has demanded that the Generalitat “get into the matter”, regretting that the issue went unnoticed in the general policy debate. “Maintaining jobs is so that the company does not fall into the hands of those who only invest for speculation,” Álvarez reiterated.
The Celsa case had a turning point at the beginning of September with a ruling that ruled in favor of the creditors and not of the Rubiralta family, founder and owner of the steel company. The judge endorsed the restructuring plan and allowed the funds, including Deutsche Bank, Anchorage, Capital Group and Attesor Capital, to assume 100% of the shareholding. The company also employs 10,000 people in the State, 2,400 of which in Catalonia, ACN reports.
