Spain’s govt clears crucial labor reform and budget for 2022

By ARITZ PARRA
Associated Press

MADRID (AP) — Spain’s left-wing ruling coalition is securing its hold on power with the approval of a landmark labor reform and a new national spending plan for next year that includes a hefty disbursement of pandemic recovery funds. An array of left-leaning and regionalist lawmakers have given the final go-ahead Tuesday to Spain’s budget for 2022. It allocates more than half of the funds to pensions, subsidies and other forms of social spending. The budget includes the first 20 of 70 billion euros granted to the country from the European Union’s COVID-19 recovery funds. Spain’s Cabinet has also passed an overhaul to the country’s labor rules. It includes limits on temporary contracts that are backed by workers’ unions and employee associations.