The Popular Party on Wednesday clarified Alberto Núñez Feijóo's comments on labor absenteeism. The party leader had called sick leaves a "cancer" and proposed cutting full pay in cases of possible fraud.
In an event with Basque businessmen on Tuesday, Feijóo said absenteeism cost 33,000 million euros in 2025 and proposed solutions "with or without" union agreement. PP deputy secretary of finance Juan Bravo explained on Wednesday that the focus was on fraud and not on real illnesses.
Bravo defended "maximum protection for people who are sick" and noted that 50% of sick leaves are concentrated in 10% of workers. He added that on Mondays there are 1.7 million sick leaves, more than double the number on Fridays, and that the figures suggest lack of oversight.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called Feijóo's words "absolutely unfortunate" and placed them in the context of cuts to labor rights. Union sources and Social Security data indicate that sick leaves have doubled since 2016 due to an aging population, the pandemic and health care waiting lists.
