Març 2016
Hora: 15h
Lloc: Seu de l'Associació de Comerciants de la Creu de Barberà.
Assistents: Marisol Martinez, Tinenta d'Alcalde de l'Àrea de Promoció de la Ciutat i Participació, Cap de Servei de Comerç, Consum i Turisme i representants de l'Associació de Comerciants de la Creu de Barberà.
Reunió a porta tancada.
Hora: 15h
Lloc: Hospital Parc Taulí
Assistents: Maties Serracant, Tinent d'Alcalde de l'Àrea de Territori i Sosteniblitat, Xavi Guerrero, Regidor d'Espai Públic, Ramon Vidal, Regidor de Salut i membres de la PATT.
Reunió a porta tancada.
I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT: "IMMIGRANTS ARE NOT WILLING TO INTEGRATE"
Integration is defined as a dynamic and “two-way process” where all people are active agents in order to build a city with a common public culture.
Migrants in Sabadell make great efforts to be integrated in the society and be part of the community of citizens.
WELCOMING SESSIONS
Migrants who arrive in Sabadell participate in welcoming sessions where they are informed about the resources and services available in the city. In 2013, nine sessions were run to where 159 people attended.
xGETTING TO KNOW THE ENVIRONMENT AND INTRODUCTION TO THE LABOUR MARKET WORKSHOPS
Migrants who arrive in the city are also present in workshops to know the Catalan society and its juridical framework. In 2013, nineteen sessions were held to where nearly 300 people participated.
LANGUAGE
In 2013, 87% of the foreign non-EU students attended basic Catalan courses offered by the Consorci per a la Normalització Lingüística.
Students attending basic Catalan courses in Sabadell, 2013
87% Foreigners 13% Spaniards
SOCIAL PARTICIPATION
Entities formed by foreign people participate in networks, together with other organisations of the city, in different participating bodies. They also take part in the celebration of the National Day of Catalonia, international days for Human Rights, local festivities, workshops, etc.
LIBRARIES
According to the Servei Municipal de Biblioteques, 927 out of 5,266 foreign people (17.6%) signed up for their library card in 2013.
LIVE DIVERSITY.
FACING RUMORS,
GET INFORMED, THINK AND ACT
I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT: "FOREIGN SHOPKEEPERS DO NOT PAY TAXES"
There is neither particular financial help for foreign shopkeepers nor a tax relief for those shopkeepers having a foreign nationality. Foreign shopkeepers have got the same tax and labour obligations as national shopkeepers. They can also be penalised for not complying the legislation. Health regulations are the same for all establishments.
THEY DO NOT HAVE A FLEXIBLE WORK SCHEDULE
Retail food establishments in Catalonia, whose owner is a small and medium-seize enterprise and its selling area is smaller than 150m2, can open at any time during all the year. There are only two holidays when they must close their establishment: January the 1st and December the 25th.
THEY ARE NOT THE REASON WHY LOCAL SHOPS ARE CLOSING
Autochthonous shops are not disappearing due to foreign shops. Actually, the fact that foreigners have set up their shops in neighbourhoods of the city which did not have much trading has revitalised these areas. In some cases, foreign shopkeepers have guaranteed a new trading generation for those shops whose owners were about to retire. They have also contributed to retrieve types of trading that were disappearing such as retail food establishments.
THEY ARE NOT FUNDED BY MAFIAS
The small foreign trade has a family dimension: it is usually the result of “solidarity loans” coming from the family circle. They get low prices because they group themselves when making large orders and because they accept a narrow profit margin.
THEY ARE MERGING THEMSELVES LITTLE BY LITTLE
There are initiatives from PIME-Comerç (SMEs), Confederació de Comerç de Catalunya and Gremi d’Hostaleria de Sabadell who have incorporated migrant shopkeepers to their associations. There are about 65% of foreign shopkeepers who do not know about these entities. It is important to stress the fact that 47% of shopkeepers having a Spanish nationality take part in these entities.
LIVE DIVERSITY.
FACING RUMORS,
GET INFORMED, THINK AND ACT
Hora: 16h
Lloc: Regidoria d'Acció Social (Rambla, 22).
Assistents: Gabriel Fernàndez, Regidor d'Acció Social, Personal Tècnic i representants de l'Associació Colors del Món.
Reunió a porta tancada.
Hora: 16h
Lloc: Teatre Principal.
Assistents: Montse Chacon, Regidora de Cultura, Personal Tècnic i Alumnes de l'IES Ribot i Serra.
Acte a porta tancada.