The new president of the Valencian Community Business Federation, Vicente Lafuente, considers that the situation of the Spanish economy “in numbers is going well,” but he confirms that there is a “polarization in the economy” in which the growth of large companies contrasts with “small and micro companies, especially the self-employed, are entering a period of great instability.” Lafuente pointed to problems such as the lack of generational change, especially in the agricultural sector, and the need to enhance training.
This is how Lafuente, who was appointed President of the Valencian Employers Association six days ago, expressed himself on Wednesday during his speech at the new edition of Encuentros SER organized by Valencia Radio, in the presence of a large part of the Valencian government, led by the First Vice President, Susana Camarero, and the Second Vice President, Vicente Martínez Mos. The meeting, held at the CEV headquarters in Valencia, was also attended by the parliamentary spokespersons of the PSPV-PSOE, José Muñoz, and of Compromes, Joan Baldovi, and the leaders of the main unions UGT and CC OO, Tino Calero and Ana García, respectively, in addition to a significant representation of the business class.
In the interview conducted by Bernardo Guzmán, director of Cadena Ser in the Valencian Community, Lafuente criticized state-level social dialogue because it “cannot be legislated through royal decrees” and asserted that those who defend corporations feel “intimidated.” Lafuente specifically referred to the Secretary of Labor, Yolanda Díaz: “It hurts me a lot, more than the decrees of the actual secretary, when she claims to be the one defending the working class when we are, in many cases, business owners, especially small and medium-sized businesses, who are there with the same workers every day, the ones who care about the people.”
Regarding whether he feels animosity towards Díaz, Lafuente emphasized that “democracy is making an effort to try to understand those who think differently like you, and trying to reach agreements. As someone who does not try to reach agreements, it is difficult for me. I think we should respect it because of the institutional loyalty that we have, we should respect it a lot because the citizens elected it, but I honestly think it is very wrong not to take the entire business community into account.”
Lafuente highlighted the need to “create health” in companies and address issues that affect their competitiveness such as timelines and lack of consensus. Lafuente commented: “We are playing tricks on unilateralism in the social dialogue at the national level. When a party comes that leans to the left, another party comes and leans to the right.”
The president of the CEV, who replaced Salvador Navarro, noted that “there are different social dialogues” at the level of the Valencian Community and stressed that “at the state level we must achieve a tremendous transformation.” “You cannot legislate through royal decree. Those of us who defend companies are afraid at this moment. IBEX companies cannot be treated like SMEs” on issues such as working hours and reduced working hours, he defended.
The businessman, who for years headed the Federation of Minerals (Femival) as well as the Business Federation of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises of Valencia (CEPIMIF), noted that social agents should be “more united” and “discuss day by day” instead of determining when agreements need to be renewed. Lafuente indicated that he would “soon” sit down with union leaders — present at the event — in order to “make a joint statement” about their positions.
Lafuente also explained that next November 19, the CEO’s president, Antonio Garamendi, will be in Valencia, and that it has “already been discussed” that Lafuente will succeed Salvador Navarro as vice president of the CEO. “Garamendi understood the process as a natural evolution of the organization. He knows us well and knows that there is no problem and therefore there will be no problem.”
Lafuente insisted that “electric cars need stability in society because there are investments behind us,” “regardless of where they come from,” while emphasizing “institutional loyalty” to the business organization “without entering into political debates that do not agree with us, just as it is not their place to enter into business debates.”
The CEV president focused on the state’s budget allocations and warned that “we have a lot at stake at this moment, especially in the most affected areas.” He pointed out that “it would not have been bad if there had been a higher vision and at least the approval of budgets and then a discussion about whether to go to elections or not.” He added: “It seems that there will be a nomination and the only thing we are asking is, whatever it is, please provide stability to the economy and society. We do not want more wars. Nobody likes this polarization and it is hurting us, so please let us focus on society.”
In his speech, Lafuente also focused on the fact that the “lack of motivation” among young people is a “huge problem.” “I am very concerned about absenteeism, but I am also more concerned about sick leave due to depression in people under 30, which is increasing dramatically,” he noted. “It’s not because they are less diligent than us,” he warned. “The world has changed and they are different, but it is true that seeing the door closed, seeing that they cannot access a life project, or a home in an organized way, and that their lifestyle can no longer be like the one we had, is very frustrating indeed.”
Regarding his vision for taxes, he noted that besides the importance of cooperation between the public and private sectors, “there is a need for a public system of education, health and sustainability, and this requires taxes,” but “we cannot make the companies themselves unable to survive because of these taxes, and in the first place, I am willing to pay taxes, whatever is necessary, as long as they are well managed.”
Regarding regional financing and the Fair Finance Platform, Lafuente lamented that they “make the Valencian Community play the game of basketball with one hand tied.” In his opinion, “there was no political interest in resolving it.” He added: “Fortunately or unfortunately at this moment the Catalonia issue has been raised, and it has been put on the table. That’s why I say fortunately, it has started, but I have the impression that the day they release the numbers, we will not be happy with what will be released.” “The final solution, in the end, goes through politics, through Congress, through the Valencian parties that have representation in Madrid, and that can serve as a joint,” Lafuente added, referring to the two Accord parties, the Progressive Socialist Party and the Progressive Popular Party.
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