‘Imposed’ pay rise first for five years

Public sector employees will receive a 1% pay increase in 2016, the Spanish government has announced.

This year they will also get 25% of the traditional extra month’s pay that they lost in 2012 and 50% of the extra month’s pay in 2016. The rise ends the five years of pay freezes after a 5% pay cut in 2010.

The government, which faces elections before the end of the year, has agreed to relax the severe recruitment restrictions imposed on the public sector, allowing the replacement of 50% of those leaving (previously 10%) in most areas.

The UGT public sector union has described the plans as “more an electoral concession than fair remuneration” and criticised the fact that “as usual”, they were imposed unilaterally rather than after negotiation.