A couple of days ago we were able to attend the expected debate between the two main candidates for the elections in Spain. As expected, the economy took up much of the time, and the conciliation just tiptoed through the debate.
This highlights the low importance given to this issue by politicians and much of society, even though precisely a change in labor and family reconciliation policies could help push this economy into crisis.
Hopefully family reconciliation, these measures to make work and family care compatible and bearable, had more weight in the debate, in programs, in social gatherings, in companies ...
I wish we realized the irrational schedules we follow, anachronistic schedules derived from the postwar lifestyle, when many workers were forced to take two jobs.
Hopefully we would understand that measures such as teleworking, time flexibility, lengthening maternity leave, childcare at work, intensive days, compulsory parental leave ... are possible (and beneficial: better reconciliation conditions, better work performance). But nothing about it was discussed in the debate.
I believe that we, as citizens, should not beg with what the system leaves us to reconcile, but demand more measures that make it possible and real that women, on equal terms with men, can work and take care of our families in a acceptable way.
But it seems clear that as long as Spain continues without relying on the benefits of conciliation, the real measures will not come, and will continue without talking about it on a large scale.
If something positive can be drawn from this absence in the debate, it is that both candidates agreed that it is necessary to strive to favor conciliation. Of course, I did not think it deepened in concrete proposals, which on the other hand shone by their absence in the rest of the topics discussed. At least there was talk of reviewing work schedules to improve reconciliation and adapt work schedules to Europe to be more competitive.
Anyway, you have to take a look at the programs to see if they delve into them work and family reconciliation or remains a "ghost issue". We will be attentive to tonight's new debate ...
