Spanish unions criticise Government's immigration policy

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According to the CC.OO and UGT trade union confederations, the Spanish Government has failed to meet the expectations of the organisations which signed the October 1997 manifesto on promoting the integration of non-EU immigrants into society and employment.

In October 1997, at the initiative of the CC.OO and UGT trade union confederations some 20 trade unions, non-governmental organisations and immigrant associations drew up a manifesto requesting the rapid and effective processing of residence and work permits for non-European Community immigrants, in order to promote their integration into society and employment (ES9710129N). The manifesto was also supported by a large majority in the lower house of the Spanish Parliament (Congress of Deputies), who voted in favour of a parliamentary motion that included most of its demands.

At the beginning of November, the Government approved an increase in the number of work permits to be granted to immigrants in 1997: the 15,000 work permits initially planned was increased to 24,960. However, the unions claim that this decision does not meet the expectations that the manifesto had generated, because it does not solve the problem of administrative inefficiency in the processing of permits. The increase in the number of work permits is not accompanied by any commitment by the administration to accelerate procedures. Of the 15,000 work permits that should have been granted in 1997, only 3,500 have been processed. The trade unions therefore consider that the increase in the number of permits approved by the Government will be of no use unless specific deadlines for processing them is established.