UGT Public Services has urged the Balearic Government to resume as soon as possible the negotiation of the legislature agreement that seeks to improve the working conditions of public personnel. The union insists that the pact was almost closed and that only the last details, such as the timetable for the implementation of the improvements, remain to be defined.
The union moved this request to the Councilor of Presidency and Public Administrations, Antònia Estarellas, in a meeting in which it reiterated the need to reactivate the Bureau of Public Employees. According to UGT, the proposal agreed with the unions included an equal insularity bonus for all workers and its equalization with that of the Canary Islands, but the Govern stopped its negotiation last week..
The union organization stresses that a single meeting would be enough to close the last bangs of the agreement, which contemplates a monthly residence supplement of 205 euros in Mallorca, 410 in Menorca and Ibiza and 615 in Formentera. In addition, the negotiating table had also raised the return of 170 million euros to public employees for the 2.9% salary cut applied in 2020 and 2021.
Reduced working hours and labor improvements
The legislature agreement also includes the reduction of the working day to 35 hours a week, the full payment of salary during sick leave and improvements in conciliation, vacations and access to the civil service. UGT insists that the implementation of these measures is essential to guarantee the quality of public services in the Balearic Islands, a community that faces serious difficulties in attracting and retaining personnel due to the high cost of living.
The union has recalled that the insularity bonus should be applied uniformly so that all public employees, regardless of their category, can count on a minimum that compensates for the extra costs of living in the archipelago.
Mobilizations on the horizon
The union pressure is in addition to the call for demonstrations already announced by several organizations to demand the equalization of the insularity bonus. Likewise, the freezing of the agreement by the autonomous Executive has generated tensions in the negotiations.
UGT has stressed that the convening of the Public Employees’ Roundtable should be held as soon as possible to close an agreement that was already practically finalized before the paralysis imposed by the Govern.
