Talks on the Convenio del Metal in Bizkaia were adjourned on 3 September 2026 without substantive progress. The Föderation Vizcaína de Empresas del Metal (FVEM) reiterated at the first meeting after the summer break that it would only negotiate once the unions presented a joint position capable of commanding majority support. Without such a joint negotiating platform constructive talks would not be possible, as several differing sets of demands were blocking an agreement, the association said.
The union ELA appeared at the meeting exclusively in Basque, as previously announced. It says this is intended to strengthen the status of Basque in collective bargaining, and has said it will use Basque in up to 27 sectoral rounds from September, even if no interpreting service is available. According to participants, this language practice, along with the lack of a joint union platform, contributed to the meeting ending without any rapprochement. The employers also put forward no substantive offer at the meeting.
The Bizkaia metal industry agreement is considered the most significant sectoral collective agreement in the Basque Country’s industrial sector. It covers around 57,000 employees in the province. There had already been no substantial progress at previous meetings since the spring. Both sides have since blamed each other for the stalemate: FVEM points to the fragmentation of union positions, while ELA criticises the association for its lack of willingness to talk and its failure to make proposals.
The situation remains deadlocked in the short term. A thaw is not expected until the unions define a joint negotiating basis or an external impetus is provided. One possible actor is the Consejo de Relaciones Laborales, which has facilitated talks in the Basque Country in the past. After the meeting, the parties did not say whether or when another round of talks would be scheduled.
The date, framework and outcome of the meeting, the position of the Föderation Vizcaína de Empresas del Metal on a joint negotiating platform, and ELA’s language practice are factually established. Assessments of future developments are based on the current situation and the known positions of the parties to the agreement.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).