Union presentation ahead of 1 May marches. | Joan Torres

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Jose Luis Garcia, the general-secretary of the CCOO union in the Balearics said yesterday that he wants Labour Day marches this Sunday to signal an end, once and for all, to "wage and social poverty" suffered by many workers in the Balearics and in the whole of Spain.

Garcia was speaking at a press conference together with representatives of the UGT and STEI-i (teachers) unions at which the marches in Palma, Mahon and Ibiza were discussed. Garcia added that "we will not leave crisis behind until we recover rights that have been lost and a dignified wage that covers people's most basic necessities".

In addition, he demanded a whole package of measures for the improvement of working conditions within the framework of the pact for competitiveness, quality employment and social progress of the current regional government. These measures would see greater opportunities for being employed, with particular reference therefore to training. Other developments would concern collective bargaining for an inter-sectoral agreement with employers' associations and the recuperation of the quality of public services, especially teaching. Key issues with the latter relate to fighting the rates of failure and school dropout.

On the current situation with government in Spain, Garcia said that the country needs a government of the left which is capable of restoring rights that have been "stolen" from workers. He also referred to the refugee crisis, believing that it should be weighing on the conscience of governments, and to the transatlantic trade and investment agreement between Europe and the USA which represents "a danger to the rights of millions of workers".