The trade union UGT has denounced this Thursday the “unbearable” workload supported by the offices of the Public Service of State Employment (SEPE) in the Balearic Islands, a situation that, as they warn, has reached a limit for both the staff and for the users. The secretary of General Administration of the State (AGE) of UGT in the Islands, Fernando Martorell, has regretted that “it is not possible to work like this”, pointing out that the problems accumulated during the last months have seriously deteriorated the functioning of the service.
In a communiqué, UGT explains that the origin of much of the administrative chaos lies in the malfunctioning of the ALMA application, the new SEPE computer tool which has been active for almost a year without being fully developed. The system, far from speeding up the procedures, has caused delays, constant errors and an overload of work which the personnel is not able to absorb. This problem is compounded by other slowed or inoperative applications and stagnant computer communications, forcing staff to multiply procedures that previously required less time and resources.
The union warns that this technological crisis becomes even more serious in a context of continuous loss of personnel. The SEPE offices in the Balearic Islands are currently working with about 40% of the vacancies unfilled, which leaves the staff well below the levels needed to respond to the increase in demand which occurs after the tourist season. This year, around 200,000 discontinuous permanent workers have finished their activity, which has considerably increased the number of face-to-face and telematic procedures.
UGT points out that the pressure to meet targets and maintain high productivity figures is causing profound wear and tear on public employees, who are facing unprecedented levels of stress and mental fatigue. The trade union organization assures that this situation not only affects workers, but also citizens, who are being harmed by delays in essential procedures such as the recognition and payment of unemployment benefits.
The problem, recalls UGT, is not exclusive to the Balearic Islands, but it is aggravated in the archipelago by the historical difficulties in attracting and retaining staff. High housing prices, the cost of basic products, more expensive fuel and the disadvantages derived from insularity in mobility and professional development discourage the arrival of civil servants. All this occurs in a context of accelerated demographic growth: the Balearic population has increased by more than 200,000 inhabitants in the last fifteen years, which means a greater demand for services with fewer employees.
In view of this scenario, the union calls on the central Government to act urgently, by immediately reinforcing the SEPE‘s workforce, modernizing the computer systems and reviewing the management objectives so as to prioritize the quality of the service above the numerical metrics. UGT warns that, without strong measures, the deterioration of the service will continue with increasingly serious consequences for workers and users.
