The validity of the Action Framework for Coal Mining and Mining Regions 2013-2018 ends this year, contemplating an orderly closure plan for the sector in addition to compensatory aid.
With a view to the completion of this Mark, CCOO, UGT and USO, the 3 main unions, have shown their intentions to continue extending said plan, mining and coal power.
Workers Commissions affirms that:
"National coal must continue to be part of the national mix and we must work so that it has a future beyond 2018."
Of course, the unions they are not moving towards a decarbonization scenario at all.
Industry, Construction and Agro (UGT FICA) considers that the commitment of the European Union, political parties and governments:
"It should not happen, as some think, in first closing the mines and then reindustrializing, but to maintain the mines and at the same time reindustrialize, thus recovering all the industrial fabric lost in the mining regions."
These statements were the result of dragging Daniel Navia, Secretary of State for Energy, to commitment to create a working group to study the extension of the 2013-2018 Coal Plan, for next February 28.
The aforementioned unions and the Ministry of Energy, Tourism and the Digital Agency will form part of this group, however, CCOO also proposes that in a second phase Carbojunction can be incorporated, the employers of the sector.
While the Ministry of Energy persuades the unions that it will "try to modify" the Royal Decree for the closure of the power plants, the Industry Federation of the Union Sindical Obrera, known as FI-USO, has asked Daniel Navia to increase the time horizon of the application of the social plan until the conclusive closure of the productive units that are covered by the 2013-2018 Coal Plan.
The Federation of Industry of the Workers' Trade Union Union considers that:
"They must be applied to contract and subcontractor workers who meet the requirements, since they are subject to the same penalties as workers from parent companies."
On the other hand, the meeting of UGT-FICA and CCOO of Industry gave to address the content of the Royal Decree on plant closings that it has received for its part a critical and sound report by the CNMC, the National Commission of Markets and Competition.
According to the information obtained from CCOO, Daniel Navia assured them that he will continue working in the same direction and of course, “he will try to modify the text that the CNMC has given him so that he can receive their approval.
Mechanisms to continue production
The UGT defended that the new plan be maintained:
"A production of indigenous coal and that its use is ensured in thermal power generation plants."
Meanwhile, by CCOO:
"National coal must continue to form part of the national mix and we must work so that it has a future beyond 2018."
Likewise, The UGT requests that all possible mechanisms that may allow the continuation of production be reactivated y:
“Resume and promote CO2 capture, sequestration and storage projects; and to substitute the procedure of restrictions for guarantee of supply by another that guarantees the sufficient participation of national coal in the electricity generation mix that allows consolidating the sector of indigenous coal in our country ”.
This extreme defense of the sector by the unions It occurs in a decarbonisation scenario proposed by the EU, international agreements such as the Global Alliance to Eliminate Coal and business decisions such as those of the electricity companies Endesa and Iberdrola, favorable to closing some of their coal-fired electricity production plants.
While these 3 unions continue to want to prolong the plan to close the power plants and continue with the production and consumption of coal and fossil fuels, the European Union and many other countries are fighting for the complete decarbonization of the planet, betting on renewable energies .