ATA distances itself from freelancers' protests this Sunday: “Fees won’t rise next year”
Lorenzo Amor, president of the country’s largest association of self‑employed professionals, announced in Fuerteventura that the self‑employed contributions “will not be increased next year.” He says he understands the “anger” of freelancers but stresses ATA’s role in “pressuring politicians” to achieve results.
The president of ATA, Lorenzo Amor, has publicly disassociated the organization from the protest scheduled for this Sunday by various self‑employed groups across the country and issued a calming message to the sector: “the contributions (of the self‑employed) will not go up next year.”
“We did not call this protest; that does not mean we don’t understand the anger many self‑employed feel, but I want to reassure them,” he told reporters in Fuerteventura, where ATA signed a collaboration agreement with the Puerto del Rosario Business Association.
Amor emphasized that the organization he leads will not support the mobilisation and reminded that ATA works through other channels. “Our demonstrations are where they need to be and in the way they need to be.”
The association said it is fully committed to securing concrete advances in social protection. “We are working to improve the social protection of self‑employed workers,” he added, promising “news soon so that the unemployment benefit for the self‑employed becomes a reality.”
He outlined a series of improvements currently being negotiated:
- Self‑employed workers with multiple activities will no longer have to contribute above the maximum base.
- As will happen in the Canary Islands next year, inactive self‑employed persons will not have to keep paying Social Security contributions.
Regarding the protest, Amor remained firm. “I understand that a self‑employed person who wants to demonstrate is exercising his right; I understand that, I comprehend it, but our organization traditionally ‘presses’ politicians so that things change.”
He recalled that, despite “more than 200 demonstrations” recorded in the last year, “little has changed,” arguing that real transformation comes through dialogue and institutional pressure.
Amor highlighted the achievements ATA has secured since its inception:
- “We have stopped the contributions.”
- “We are working so that self‑employed people over 52 receive a subsidy.”
- “We are fighting for the right of self‑employed mothers to maternity leave.”
For Lorenzo Amor, “being self‑employed in 1990 has nothing to do with being self‑employed in 2025,” noting that the organization has won “more than 100 measures.”
After his statements, Amor signed the agreement between ATA and the Puerto del Rosario Business Association, led by Daniela Plotegher, and announced that the association is working to forge similar alliances with other entities on the island.
Statement by Lorenzo Amor