In 1979 Lagun Aro was studying a new benefit to cover unemployment, and the possibility of giving pensioners representation at its General Assembly. It is worth highlighting the work of Lagun Aro and Caja Laboral, not just in the financial field, where their work was more visible, but also in the economic area: providing considerable external economies, which meant significant support for the co-operatives’ results.
In a difficult year of widespread crisis, the exports of the MONDRAGON cooperatives saw a spectacular leap accounting for close to €53.5m (8.9bn pesetas) which was a rise of more than 54% although the starting position (€35.3m, 5.9bn pesetas) seen from the perspective offered by time, was very modest.
Hertell from Ikaztegieta (Gipuzkoa), a co-operative enterprise manufacturing pumps and depressors for agriculture, joined the Group. With this new member, 90% of the Group’s industrial co-operatives were located in two provinces of the Basque Autonomous Community: Gipuzkoa and Bizkaia.
