A salary increase of 7% in two years: the Government accelerates to approve by decree the 'extra' of 0.5% for civil servants

Daniel Viaña Madrid

Madrid

Updated Wednesday, January 31, 2024-03:27

The Spanish economy accelerated in the last quarter of the year in such a way that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew even more than the Government itself estimated. The rebound, according to the data reported yesterday by the National Institute of Statistics (INE), was 2.5% compared to the official 2.4%, and this strong advance leaves Spain in a better position to face 2024 but also , assured the

additional salary increase of half a point for civil servants

that was linked to the evolution of the GDP.

The new increase will be approved

by decree "soon" in the Council of Ministers

, Executive sources explain, so it is likely that the increase will already be included in the February payroll. And, furthermore, this increase will be applied retroactively from January 1, 2023, so that officials will receive a kind of extra pay with arrears of more than one year. When the previous 0.5% increase was approved, which is linked to the evolution of inflation, the Public Service explained that it would benefit 3.5 million workers linked to the Public Administration, and that the cost would be 791 million with a " average increase of 180 euros in the annual payroll. The figures, this time, will be very similar although slightly higher, since the increases are cumulative.

The 0.5% improvement linked to GDP is assured without having to wait for confirmation of the data since, as stated in the Budget Law, "once the 2023 GDP progress data is published by the INE, it will be approved the application of this increase. And the total salary increase in 2023 will be 3.5%, which if added to the increase also of 3.5% in 2022, the result is that civil servants registered

a salary improvement of 7% in two years

. In fact, the figure will be slightly higher because, as already noted, they are cumulative improvements.

For this year, the minimum improvement is 2%, although to receive this increase, officials must wait for the 2024 Budget to be approved. When this is done, they will also receive a retroactive increase dated January 1, 2024, and still They may register another additional increase of 0.5% against this year depending on the evolution of inflation.

And while all these increases are being consolidated and approved, the unions and the Public Service have already started negotiations to

agree on new salary improvements

and staff increases. CSIF met last week with the Minister of Public Function, José Luis Escrivá, and confirmed the commitment of the former head of Social Security to begin the process.

The previous multi-year plan for salary increases expires this year, so this union has already conveyed to Escrivá that a "new legislative agreement is necessary that values ​​the work of public employees by improving their working conditions and remuneration. UGT, for its part, demands "salary increases for all public employees

above the real CPI

, which means maintaining or gaining purchasing power."

The unions demand that the 2% increase be applied now

CCOO and UGT yesterday demanded that the Government incorporate the 2% salary increase agreed for civil servants this year without waiting for the approval of the General State Budgets (PGE) of 2024. Through a statement, both unions urged the Executive to use "legislative formulas" to make the 2024 salary increases effective for civil servants, regardless of the Budget law.