James Warren
TRADE Union’s have slammed plans to scrap the installation of Christmas lights this year as a potential threat to thousands of jobs in the region.
But numerous calls on social media have called for the money normally spent on the lights in various municipalities to be spent on battling the economic impact of COVID-19.
A spokesman from the Union General de Trabajadores (UGT) denounced the calls, claiming the cancelling of Christmas lights would put thousands of jobs at risk.
“Not only would it impact the companies contracted to install the lights, but also the hundreds of businesses that normally benefit from the illumination during Christmas time,” read the statement.
“Our money is already allocated and contracts are already signed, so to stop now would be a breach of trust and would cost much more than it would save.”
The UGT will be strongly committed to keeping as many workers in employment as possible, as for the majority of 2020, Cordoba has registered the highest unemployment rate in Spain, a situation that has only been exacerbated with the pandemic.
The Union also fears that cancelling the lights would set a dangerous precedent for future works, with any future projects that social media would deem ‘unnecessary’ to be brought into question.
“We also owe it to our municipalities to maintain a level of normality this Christmas period and we understand the joy that the lights bring to children across the region in this difficult time,” said the UGT.
This isn’t the first time that the celebration of Christmas has been called into question in Cordoba.
Back in August, the municipal government of the capital was criticised for allocating €1.6 million for their annual Calle Foro Romano light show.
Representatives from the Izquierda Unida party in Cordoba called for the budget to be used for the regeneration of small local businesses that have suffered due to COVID-19.
