On Monday, May 1, International Workers’ Day, workers took to the streets in Elche to defend labor rights, push for fair wages, and demand stable, quality employment and improved pensions.
A thousand people attend May 1 at the center of Elche
With the slogan “Increase wages, reduce prices, distribute aid,” hundreds of participants joined the demonstration in Elche, organized by the major unions UGT and CCOO. The march began at Plaza de Barcelona at 11:00, while representatives of the Elche Socialist Party stood alongside the mayor and the re-election candidate, Carlos González. The commitment to continued support for this cause was voiced, with assurances that the struggle would persist for another year. [Source: Local political press]
Carlos González highlighted the city’s strong labor market, noting that Elche now records the highest Social Security membership rate in its history and an unemployment level lower than at any point in the past 15 years. He stressed the importance of building on that progress to ensure lasting opportunity for workers. [Source: City economic briefing]
While recognizing the gains, González cautioned against complacency, arguing that victory should never be assumed while there are unemployed people who still need jobs. The message remained clear: continued action is essential to sustain gains for workers and their families.
The re-election candidate pointed to a robust labor market, noting that more than 87,000 people are covered by Social Security and roughly 20,000 are unemployed, figures that reflect notable improvement. A national parliamentary representative also attended the ceremony. Alejandro Soler explained that advances have been achieved under a PSOE-led government, including an increase in the inter-professional minimum wage from 700 to 1,080 euros and the ratification of labor reform that preserves the framework for collective bargaining and social dialogue. He also underscored improvements in pension provisions as part of the broader social protections. [Source: Legislative news briefing]