Spanish civil servants seek back pay

Civil servants in Spain have started a campaign to regain the pay they lost when the government imposed a pay freeze four years ago, following a

court decision in their favour.

Spain's centre-right government elected in 1997 imposed a pay freeze on the country's two million civil servants, who include teachers and hospital staff as well as workers in central and local government. The freeze came despite the fact that the previous government had reached an agreement in 1994 that civil service pay would increase in line with inflation forecasts over the three years 1995 to 1997.

The freeze meant that civil servants lost a 2.6% increase in 1997 and as well as campaigning against the decision the unions also began a court case. At the end of January the court ruled that the government had acted unlawfully and that it should pay the increase.

The government has refused to do this, taking the case to appeal. It has also refused to enter into serious negotiations with the unions until the appeal has been heard. In the words of Carlos Sanchez, of the largest union confederation, the CCOO: "This is an error. because the problems of the public service continue to be the same".

The unions have organised national and regional demonstrations.