The Mercedes Workers' Committee in Vitoria-Gasteiz has called for one-hour stoppages for each shift

The Mercedes Benz Works Council in Vitoria-Gasteiz has called for a one-hour stoppage for each shift between Monday 15 and Thursday 18 because, in its opinion, the factory's "labour relations have deteriorated".

With the votes in favour of ELA, LAB and ESK and the abstention of the other unions (UGT, CCOO and Ekintza), the stops now announced are mobilizations agreed by the works council by a majority at the last meeting.

This Wednesday the stops were announced after the committee sent a warning yesterday to 5,000 workers encouraging them to participate in the mobilizations in the face of the 'serious deterioration' ofworking conditions and family reconciliation.

The three main unions report that the management "has consistently breached" the agreements adopted, that it hires temporary workers through temporary employment agencies and that management does not take into account workers' signatures against the ninth hour of morning and afternoon shifts, once the night is cancelled.

ELA, LAB and ESK criticized this Wednesday that the unions that do not support the mobilizations signed the current collective agreement, the ninth hour with the current regulation and the entry of temporary employment agencies.

They have explained that the reasons for these mobilizations include working hours of 45 hours per week in afternoon shifts and 53 hours in morning shifts, a direct consequence of the work of the ninth hour and Saturdays. In the opinion of the unions, this, together with the unbridled timetable in 2026, "makes it impossible to reconcile family and working life."

In addition, they report that the company's new project, together with the development of the new electric vehicle that will come out next year, involves "excessive and forced workloads" and increases the psychosocial risks faced by the workforce.

Lastly, they note that as a result of this situation , casualties are increasing and are not considered "systematically" as a source of employment.

The stops will be the last week of production this year at Mercedes, where production will be suspended from 19 December to 12 January 2026.