Several officials from the Partido Popular have responded on the social network 'X' to the criticisms made by the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, against the leader of the 'populares', Alberto Núñez Feijóo, after he questioned that in some company agreements it is agreed that "a person who does not go to work earns the same as when they do go to work".
The deputy secretary for Institutional Regeneration of the PP, Cuca Gamarra, has accused the head of the Executive of lying by stating that "Sánchez lies, as always", and has stressed that, in her opinion, the president "is accustomed to rewarding those who deceive and not those who work, to pay a salary to the Jessicas who do not set foot in the office".
In her message, Gamarra has underlined that "Those who get up early do care about fraud, absenteeism, or paying sexual favors to a minister with their taxes", concluding with "do not manipulate".
In a similar vein, the national spokesperson for the PP, Borja Sémper, has expressed his regret that it is difficult to have "a serious debate" without it being "manipulated". In his opinion, "Those who get up early and work are the first to be interested in COMBATING FRAUD and absenteeism in order to have the right to sick leave when they need it without losing rights," he defended.
The party's secretary general, Miguel Tellado, has also intervened, asking: "How is David Sánchez's brother going to want to fight against fraud and absenteeism?". In the same vein, the MEP and deputy secretary for Sectoral Coordination of the PP, Alma Ezcurra, has maintained that "Anyone who gets up early clearly understands the difference between sick leave and fraud".
For his part, the deputy secretary for Finance of the PP, Juan Bravo, has focused on the "problem" that absenteeism represents both for "the public coffers" and for "the workers themselves". In his opinion, "This government of corruption cannot be taken seriously, but those who get up early do care that others take advantage of their work," he concluded.
The deputy secretary for Health and Social Policy, Carmen Fúnez, has called on the president to "dismiss" the Minister of Health, Mónica García, "if he is concerned about the health of Spaniards", and has urged him to meet "with the doctors who have been on strike for a year against his government". Fúnez added: "But we understand that David Sánchez's brother does not want to hear about labor absenteeism".
The Deputy Secretary of Equality, Jaime de los Santos, has rebuked Sánchez for not dialoguing "with anyone outside his entourage" and has pointed out that "If he walked the streets, he would know what it is to take on a job that does not correspond to you because someone commits fraud." In similar terms, the spokesperson for the PP in the Senate, Alicia García, has stated that "Prosecuting fraud is defending those who break their backs and the truly sick. We protect the worker. You, your corrupt ones."
At an event with the Basque Business Circle, a forum that brings together executives from the main companies in Euskadi, Feijóo once again emphasized the need to address "surprising" labor absenteeism. As he indicated, "That almost 1,200,000 people do not go to work every day is something that Spain cannot afford, and neither can Euskadi."
At that same meeting, the president of the PP warned of the consequences of certain practices in the labor market: "If in company agreements it is agreed that a person who does not go to work receives the same pay as when they do go to work, what do you want me to say? If, moreover, the Public Administration considers that a citizen can take sick leave and not go to work without justification and still receive the same salary and benefits, then what happens, happens, but this absenteeism is unsustainable."
In response to these words, Sánchez replied on 'X' that "whoever calls sick leave a 'cancer' and proposes that sick workers earn less makes it clear whose side they are on," in a message reported by Europa Press.