SIAU denounces irregularities in the Electoral Board of Artistic Studies and demands advancing the union elections

PalmaThe Independent, Autonomous and United Union (SIAU) has publicly denounced the events that occurred during the last meeting of the Electoral Board for the union elections of the public business entity Higher Artistic Teachings of the Balearic Islands (EASIB). This year, the union representation of the workers of the Higher Conservatory of Music of the Balearic Islands (CSMIB) and the Higher School of Dramatic Art of the Balearic Islands (ESADIB) must be renewed. SIAU is the union that initiated the electoral process after successfully challenging the prior notice submitted by another union organization.

According to the formation, the meeting held yesterday aimed to review the electoral calendar and try to reach an agreement between the union organizations. However, SIAU maintains that the decision “was already made before starting” and that the meeting was a mere formality to validate a previous position.

The union denounces that during the meeting it was proven that the union majority was in favor of holding the elections on June 18. This proposal had the support of SIAU, CCOO, and UGT. Nevertheless, according to the formation's account, the Electoral Board maintained the proposal and ignored this majority, which led to SIAU and CCOO leaving the meeting in protest.

SIAU considers it especially serious that the same Board that in previous meetings had defended acting according to the majority criterion of the unions, has now adopted a contrary decision. This supposed incoherence, states the union, calls into question the neutrality of the process.

Another point of conflict is the extension of the company committee with an expired mandate. SIAU criticizes that this situation has been maintained for months and warns that any decision adopted during this period may be born, in its opinion, with a deficit of democratic legitimacy. The union argues that no relevant agreements should be adopted without having previously allowed the renewal of workers' representation.

Four months left

In this regard, it also rejects that the elections can be postponed until September 17. SIAU argues that EASIB already has problems with teaching staff coverage and that delaying the electoral process could add instability at the start of the academic year. According to the union, this decision could force the reorganization of teaching teams and make substitutions difficult, with a direct impact on the academic functioning of the centers. The union training insists that holding the elections in September is not compatible with the need to guarantee a stable start to the academic year or with the students' right to receive an education under normal conditions.

Finally, SIAU also denounces that the Electoral Board has refused to provide the minutes of the meeting held yesterday, even though, according to the union, relevant agreements were adopted. These would include the acceptance of a claim to exclude senior management officials representing the company from the electoral roll, as well as modifications to the electoral calendar. This refusal, they warn, generates legal uncertainty and prevents the formal accreditation of the adopted agreements.

Given this situation, SIAU announces that it will undertake new actions before the competent arbitration bodies and does not rule out resorting to the courts to guarantee the transparency of the process. The union concludes that “democracy consists of letting the ballot boxes speak” and calls for the electoral process to be carried out without delay. It also defends that both teaching staff and students have the right to a stable environment and that no body should prejudice these principles.