Labor sanctions the RFEF, Barça and Espanyol for not having an equality plan | Economy | EUROtoday

The Minister of Labor and second vice chairman of the Government, Yolanda Díaz, introduced this Wednesday that the Inspection has sanctioned the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and three golf equipment (Barça, Espanyol and CD Europa) for not having a plan to equality. In addition, the inspectorate additionally factors to the RFEF for not activating the harassment protocol.

“We send our world champions without an equality plan, without harassment protocols in their workplace, it is very serious,” Díaz pressured in an interview on Radio Nacional wherein he recalled what occurred within the World Cup ultimate with the already former president of the RFEF Luis Rubiales and the non-consensual kiss to the participant Jennifer Hermoso. “I want to tell the clubs and the federation that when we talk about equality we talk about fundamental rights and, therefore, they have to comply with the regulations. Harassment is a very serious thing, we cannot continue without action protocols, without equality plans,” Díaz indicated.

Sources from the Labor Inspection point out that because of that episode, “the Ministry of Labor and Social Economy decided to act urgently through the Labor and Social Security Inspection to review the situation regarding equality of the 16 football clubs. first-class women's team, as well as the sports corporations (SAD) and the Royal Spanish Football Federation.” The same sources, at the moment, do not specify the amount of the sanctions. Díaz has clarified that “we are talking about small amounts” as a result of the faults are documentary in nature. That is, they’re as a result of lack of obligatory inner rules.

After the crisis experienced within the Spanish federation due to the non-consensual kiss of the former president Luis Rubiales to the soccer player Jenni Hermoso, the RFEF and the players signed an agreement last October that acted as a boost to the creation of a mixed commission, in which the parties are represented, in addition to the Higher Sports Council, and in which this matter was expressly mentioned: “The parties will ensure compliance with the protocols against abuse and harassment in sports, […] for the effective equality of women and men, as well as mandatory equality reports.” It was also then when the Equality Commission was created, “which is working intensely to guarantee the advancement and compliance of these policies through specific projects that seek not only cyclical, but also structural changes,” indicates the RFEF.

The federation claims to have both an equality plan and a harassment protocol. “The plan has existed since January 2022 and the anti-harassment protocol is developed in it,” state federal sources. The same sources assume that, after the inspection last September, some problems were raised, such as that the plan that is registered is not the same as the one published on the federation website. Detail, they explain, to which they do not give much importance. Said plan, the RFEF points out in a statement, has “a validity of 4 years, 11 areas of improvement and 26 particular measures which can be being carried out within the establishment that directs soccer in Spain.” Furthermore, adds the RFEF, which considers that “all authorized necessities on this matter are presently met”, after the Labor inspection, it presented allegations to the conclusions, relating to the registration of the equality plan: it questioned, among other things, whether it corresponded its registration to the regional or state administration. They have not yet received a response to these allegations.

Barcelona, ​​for its part, explained that the club's first Equality plan dates back to 2013; This expired in April 2023, when it was extended. The entity's third equality plan is now being negotiated, which they hope to approve in the first quarter of 2024. In addition, he added, the Protocol for the prevention and addressing of sexual harassment based on sex, sexual orientation, gender identity was updated. gender or gender expression and the Protocol for preventing and addressing workplace harassment, both in force since February 5, 2024. The club also does not assume any non-compliance regarding the pay gap.

Also mentioned, RCD Espanyol explains that it has had an equality plan since 2023, “pending administrative processing in the coming weeks at REGCON (Registration and Deposit of Collective Agreements and Equality Plans).” At the end of September 2023, they add, “the club had a work inspection that confirmed that we were in the phase of validating the documentation. The fine (already paid) was very low for that reason. We hope to resolve the process in a few weeks. The joint negotiating commission of RCDE workers began the preparation of the Equality Plan in April 22 and now there is a monitoring commission.”

As specified within the Inspection, the obligations of those firms relating to equal pay have been verified (“that’s, verifying the existence of a pay document or whether or not there may be wage discrimination”), actions have been carried out relating to sexual harassment (“it is verified “if they comply with the prevention of sexual and gender-based harassment”) and it was investigated if they had equality plans. This last analysis is what has led to the sanctions on the clubs. “It is true that Madrid and Sevilla and others are the ones that comply best, but Barça and others are sanctioned because they do not have an equality plan,” Díaz detailed.

A marketing campaign launched after the non-consensual kiss

Díaz introduced this Inspection marketing campaign on the finish of August final yr, along with the consultant of the bulk union in ladies's soccer, Futpro. The second vice chairman defined that the Labor Inspection would launch an info marketing campaign with which it wished to remind sports activities golf equipment of their obligations relating to equality.

In addition to the truth that they will need to have equality plans, the marketing campaign centered on the truth that pay variations should be justified. “What cannot be is that the differences arise due to the fact of being women. Do they have to earn the same? Probably not, but the differences must be clearly motivated. This is stated in the equal pay regulation that we approve in this ministry. [en 2020]”. He gave for example the minimal wage within the ladies's League, 16,000 euros per yr, and that of the lads's League, 180,000. According to the data offered by the Inspection, the sanctions don’t have any relation to those pay variations. However, Díaz has clarified that this a part of the investigation has not but concluded.

The Futpro union has expressed in an announcement its satisfaction with this Inspection work: “As we have always stated from our union, we will work tirelessly to protect all the footballers and seek a safe and equal environment for them, going to the last necessary steps.” to guard them. It is crucial that a very powerful establishments of our society decide to the values ​​of equality, respect and progress that residents demand.”

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