Updating

The Government has presented a proposal for a new salary agreement in the public service that revises upwards what was agreed in the previous legislature: for 2025 it foresees a general salary update of 55.26 euros (for salaries of up to about 1,754 euros) or a minimum of 2.1% for the rest (instead of about 52 euros or 2% in the case of the highest salaries). The negotiation has not yet concluded. The Government’s idea is to be able to sign the agreement before the vote on the General State Budgets, which will take place on October 31.

The proposed multi-year agreement extends until 2028 and provides for annual updates during that period, including the remuneration base. In this regard, the idea is to reach the end of the legislature with a minimum wage in the State of 1,025 euros, five euros above what the Government foresees for the national minimum wage. The proposal foresees that the salary base will be 875 euros in 2025, rising to 925 euros in 2026, 975 euros in 2027 and 1,025 euros in 2028. This means that the intention is to always maintain a difference of five euros with respect to the national minimum. salary .

Regarding general updates, the proposal is, for 2025 and 2026, monthly increases of 55.26 euros (for salaries up to about 1,754 euros) and a minimum of 2.1% (for the rest); and in 2027 and 2028, 57.89 euros or a minimum of 2.2%. This represents, during the next four years of the legislature, a minimum annual increase of 226.31 euros (about 18 euros above the 208 provided for in the previous agreement).

The agreement signed in the previous legislature between the government of António Costa and UGT provided for increases of around 52 euros or a minimum of 2%. The idea is, then, to stay slightly higher. But at least for 2025, the proposed minimum of 2.1% is not enough to offset the inflation expected for that year, of 2.3%.

The proposal guarantees that the evaluations do not affect the progressions and promotions to which each worker is entitled.

Upon leaving the meeting with the Secretary of State for Public Service, José Abraão, leader of FESAP, said that the union structure will still analyze the proposal, but he has already assured that he will present a counterproposal.

José Abraão emphasizes that the new proposal remains “manifestly insufficient” and looks forward to the next meeting. He also criticizes that there are no changes in the food subsidy, which is currently six euros per day, nor in the diets nor in the recovery of evaluation points for those who went through one of the freezing periods (instead of two). .

“We have more ambition, we want to go further. “There are many problems that we want to solve,” he stated.

The Government wants to sign a new agreement before voting on the general OE

The Government, according to unionist José Abraão, from FESAP, expressed its intention to sign the new public service agreement before voting on the majority of the State Budget for 2025.

“The Secretary of State told us that there was some possibility of wanting to do this before the general vote. This is the probable calendar of the Government and the Ministry of Finance. Ours will have to be the one that results from our possibilities and as far as we go, either in terms of compliance with the negotiations in the meetings already scheduled, or in the context of additional negotiations, where there is always the possibility of eventually making some arrangements if “This is possible,” he stated.

The next meeting with the public service unions will be on October 29. The Budget is voted on in general on October 31.

José Abraão asked to clarify the meaning of the request for legislative authorization included in the OE proposal that will allow the Government to legislate on matters such as sick leave, strikes and public service holidays. The union leader says again that they told him that it will be to “speed up the procedures.” He also questioned whether the change would be aimed at returning the three days of vacation taken during the troika intervention period, but received no response on this. “Let’s see, the negotiations have not ended,” says the unionist linked to UGT.

Changes to rules on illness, strikes and holidays in the public service are aimed at “simplifying and improving”. The government does not explain how