The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, has considered "absolutely unfortunate" the words of the leader of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, in which he stated that absenteeism is a "cancer that we cannot afford" and questioned whether an employee on leave receives the same salary as when they are active.
"I find it absolutely unfortunate to equate sick leave with cancer. I think it is absolutely unfortunate and it also reflects the way of thinking that one has when talking about these issues," he stated in declarations to the media at the end of the NATO summit held in Ankara.
According to Sánchez, the underlying message of what Feijóo intended to convey in his speech to Basque businessmen has been understood "very well," as "it never rains but it pours," and, every time the PP has held government responsibilities, it has promoted "many cuts to the labor rights of many workers in the country."
The head of the Executive maintains that the approach being heard from the opposition and what is being agreed upon with the far-right in various regional governments translates into "cuts."
"It is about cutting rights, it is about cutting and questioning social and labor achievements that have taken us many years to achieve," Sánchez warned.
He recalled that in 2010, after the financial crisis and "the very misguided neoliberal response that was given," years of adjustments followed in practically all areas, especially in healthcare, education, the National Dependency System, pensions, and also in working conditions.
"It took us more than a decade not only to rebuild those lost labor and social rights but even during this decade, the 2020s, what we are doing is consolidating and expanding them," he defended.
In his general analysis, Sánchez points out that the debate on labor absenteeism is approached from "a mistaken perspective." In his opinion, it would be more accurate to talk about sick leave or temporary incapacity, because, otherwise, "a stigma is placed on the reality that exists in the country, which is that there are workers who get sick and who 'have every right in the world' to take sick leave."