Main unions will receive 837,237 euros for 2026

The Department of Economy, Labor and Employment has granted subsidies totaling 837,237 euros to the four main unions participating in the bodies for the 2026 trade union elections, 209,309.25 euros each. The distribution of funds is contained in Order 2026/3901, signed by Miguel Torres Lorenzo, Second Vice-President and Minister of Economy, Labor and Employment, and was published in the Official Gazette of the Basque Country (BOPV) number 177 on September 16, 2026.

Legal basis of the financing

The subsidies are situated within the framework of the Public Office for Trade Union Elections, its Committee, and the Inspectorate for Trade Union Elections, created by Decree 237/2000 of November 28. The Second Additional Provision of that decree establishes the procedure for granting subsidies and enables the conventional method for distributing the budget credit: in equal parts or according to representation.

This year’s allocation was established by Law 7/2025 of December 23, which approves the General Budgets of the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country for 2026, under Program 3112, Service 21. The procedure was launched by the Order of June 17, 2026, and on June 22, 2026, agreements between the unions and the Director of Labor and Social Security proposed a distribution in equal parts to the Minister.

Beneficiaries and conditions

According to the agreement, these four unions will each receive 209,309.25 euros:

Euskal Langileen Alkartasuna (ELA)
Confederación Sindical de CC.OO. de Euskadi
Langile Abertzaleen Batzordeak (LAB)
Unión General de Trabajadores (UGT-Euskadi)

To receive payment, the unions must fulfill their tax and Social Security obligations and submit a responsible declaration: that previously received aid has been justified, that they are not in the circumstances of Article 13.1 of Law 20/2023, and that payments for the reimbursement of subsidies are up to date. Payment will be made in a single installment after the documentation is submitted.

Impact and resources

The subsidies are compatible with other aid, provided they do not have the same objective and purpose. The Order exhausts the administrative route, and interested parties may file an appeal for reconsideration before the Minister within one month, or a contentious-administrative appeal before the High Court of Justice of the Basque Autonomous Community within two months.

This financing ensures the functioning of the public structure for trade union elections and strengthens the economic basis of the representation system of the main labor organizations in the Basque Country, guaranteeing a balanced distribution among the main unions.

Source: Official Gazette of the Basque Country, number 177, September 16, 2026, Section I, OTHER PROVISIONS (official reference: 2026/3901).