Spanish Government to Address Salary Increase for Public Employees
The Public Function Minister announces imminent remuneration adjustments following formal complaints from labor unions.
Óscar López, the Minister of Digital Transformation and Public Function, confirmed on Tuesday that the Spanish government will soon pay an additional 0.5% salary increase owed to public employees for the previous year.
His assurance came just one day after the General Confederation of Workers' Unions (CSIF) filed a formal complaint with the Prime Minister's Office, urging the government to fulfill its obligation and begin negotiations for a new salary agreement and public employment offer for 2025 without hiring restrictions.
As of now, public employees have yet to receive the additional 0.5% salary increase that is due, following the expiration of the previous salary agreement on December 31. The 2022 framework agreement had established a fixed salary increase of 2% for 2024, plus an additional 0.5% if accumulated inflation exceeded the total fixed salary increase during the agreement period (8%).
According to CSIF, the government owes public employees approximately 1.2 billion euros in back pay due to inflation and other factors.
The latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report indicated a 2.2% increase in April, contributing to an 8.2% loss in purchasing power for public employees since the last salary agreement was signed, along with nearly a 20% reduction in wages due to government cuts implemented in 2010. In a recent congress held by the UGT Public Services, López defended the government's record, stating that public servants earn 15% more than they did seven years ago, over 330,000 public sector positions have been stabilized, and 60% of public sector workers are now women.
CSIF emphasized that 60% of the workforce within the General State Administration is expected to retire within the next decade, creating unresolved labor conflicts in critical sectors such as Social Security, the Tax Agency, Labor Inspection, and the Public Employment Service (SEPE).
Beyond the announcement regarding the 0.5% increase, CSIF has called for the initiation of negotiations for a new legislative agreement that includes a public employment offer for 2025 eliminating the hiring cap, a review of the stabilization plan for interim positions (which should not exceed 8%), a 35-hour workweek for state employees, the implementation of a professional career structure, and the provision for telework.
Furthermore, CSIF demands equal pay across various public administrations, improvements in retirement conditions, and immediate regulations to allow public servants to opt for partial retirement.
The union also advocates for automatic annual salary adjustments based on the CPI, similar to pension adjustments, plus an additional percentage determined through negotiations.
Minister López acknowledged the need for dialogue with unions to enhance working conditions for public servants by leveraging new technologies, such as artificial intelligence and digitalization.
He stated, "We need to negotiate a public service dedicated to the citizen with enough job quality for public servants," and highlighted the positive economic trends in Spain, claiming it is one of the fastest-growing economies globally, with rising minimum wages, stable contracts, social policies, and pension increases occurring simultaneously.
His assurance came just one day after the General Confederation of Workers' Unions (CSIF) filed a formal complaint with the Prime Minister's Office, urging the government to fulfill its obligation and begin negotiations for a new salary agreement and public employment offer for 2025 without hiring restrictions.
As of now, public employees have yet to receive the additional 0.5% salary increase that is due, following the expiration of the previous salary agreement on December 31. The 2022 framework agreement had established a fixed salary increase of 2% for 2024, plus an additional 0.5% if accumulated inflation exceeded the total fixed salary increase during the agreement period (8%).
According to CSIF, the government owes public employees approximately 1.2 billion euros in back pay due to inflation and other factors.
The latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report indicated a 2.2% increase in April, contributing to an 8.2% loss in purchasing power for public employees since the last salary agreement was signed, along with nearly a 20% reduction in wages due to government cuts implemented in 2010. In a recent congress held by the UGT Public Services, López defended the government's record, stating that public servants earn 15% more than they did seven years ago, over 330,000 public sector positions have been stabilized, and 60% of public sector workers are now women.
CSIF emphasized that 60% of the workforce within the General State Administration is expected to retire within the next decade, creating unresolved labor conflicts in critical sectors such as Social Security, the Tax Agency, Labor Inspection, and the Public Employment Service (SEPE).
Beyond the announcement regarding the 0.5% increase, CSIF has called for the initiation of negotiations for a new legislative agreement that includes a public employment offer for 2025 eliminating the hiring cap, a review of the stabilization plan for interim positions (which should not exceed 8%), a 35-hour workweek for state employees, the implementation of a professional career structure, and the provision for telework.
Furthermore, CSIF demands equal pay across various public administrations, improvements in retirement conditions, and immediate regulations to allow public servants to opt for partial retirement.
The union also advocates for automatic annual salary adjustments based on the CPI, similar to pension adjustments, plus an additional percentage determined through negotiations.
Minister López acknowledged the need for dialogue with unions to enhance working conditions for public servants by leveraging new technologies, such as artificial intelligence and digitalization.
He stated, "We need to negotiate a public service dedicated to the citizen with enough job quality for public servants," and highlighted the positive economic trends in Spain, claiming it is one of the fastest-growing economies globally, with rising minimum wages, stable contracts, social policies, and pension increases occurring simultaneously.
Translation:
Translated by AI
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