Two months ago, the national minister for industry, Reyes Maroto, set up a working party to consider the impact of the closure of the Cemex plants in Lloseta and Gádor (Almeria).
The works in Lloseta ceased production of cement in October. The workers are still in employment, but the terms of the redundancy - which Cemex agreed to reconsider - will be known in mid-January. The expectation is that not all the workers will be laid off. This had been contemplated when the closure was announced in October. However, initiatives for "re-industrialisation" should prevent this.
These initiatives are what the working party is looking at. So far, it has come up with fourteen - eight for Lloseta and six for Gádor. There are no details as yet, but a statement on behalf of the working party says that "they will contribute to the reindustrialisation of both places and to the consequent maintenance and creation of employment".
The confidentiality surrounding the initiatives is likely to be lifted on 8 January, when Maroto and the Balearics trade, industry and employment minister, Iago Negueruela, are expected to make the details public.
Represented on the working party are both governments, unions and Cemex. Roberto Serrano of the UGT union says that he had hoped to try and use the working party to reverse the closure decision. He is nevertheless "fairly satisfied" with the results of the working party discussions.
