The Minister for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, Therese Riveraclarified on Friday that certain businesses such as bars and restaurants may limit the use of air conditioning at “about 25 degrees”taking into account the labor law recommendationscompared to the 27 degrees envisaged by the royal decree on energy saving and efficiency measures approved by the government.
As Ribera pointed out in an interview with Onda Cero, “you cannot ask workers who are in conditions of significant physical exercise which do not have the conditions that labor law guarantees with regard to maximum and minimum temperatures” and gave as an example that clubs, kitchens and gymnasiums need a different temperature to other spaces such as a bookstore.
The Minister indicated that it was necessary distinguish sedentary jobs, such as an office, from other active jobs, such as activity in a restaurant. “The decree-law itself incorporates a call that where there are spaces where workers must move and exercise, it must be applied with the corresponding flexibility,” he said. .
Traders and hoteliers have shown their unease these days by the measure and the losses that its implementation could cause.
The flexibility referred to by Ribera is reflected in the decree on energy saving measures, published in the Official Journal of 2 August, which establishes that the temperature thresholds will be adjusted in accordance with “minimum health and safety provisions in the workplace“and that enclosures that justify the need to maintain particular environmental conditions or that have specific regulations that establish it will not have to comply with said temperature limitations”.
Las MaƱanas de RNE – Government tools for the autonomous communities to comply with the savings plan
“Minimal impact on productive activity”
The minister claimed that the government wants there to be “minimum impact on productive activityand considers that, although the measures represent an effort, it is “reasonable” and has “very present” working conditions.
Teresa Ribera argued that “one thing is to maintain a temperature that is comfortable for workers and that allows them to easily move around that space” and another is “being coldwhich we have experienced again and again”.
In addition, he ruled out that the emergency plan scheduled for September envisages restrictions or bans inside homes, although will offer “known and very classic” recommendations regarding thermostats, windows, awnings and appliances.
Thus, he insisted that the government seek with these measures “not to harm the needs or comfort” of families and the productive fabric and promised to share the project “as soon as they have it” with all administrations, parliamentary groups and the main social and economic sectors.
Ribera also referred to the political confrontation generated by the implementation of energy saving measures, after the President of the Community of Madrid, Isabelle Diaz Ayuso announce their intention to violate them. The Minister for the Ecological Transition lamented that, in a context as difficult as the current one, the debate does not focus on “how we can help” but on “how to avoid compliance or how to avoid sanctions”.
He also ruled out that Spain would follow the latest recommendations from the International Monetary Fund (IMF)in which he asks that they be the consumers who bear all of the increased energy costs and argued that, given Spain’s fiscal capacity, government action is more appropriate, since following IMF recommendations “requires a significant allocation of resources for the most needy families”, for which he considered that would have a very Lasted.
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