The Canarian public workforce has not recovered 5% of the salary

The 112 staff is an example of the companies affected by the cut. / Arcadio Suarez

About half of the employees affected by the measure have not been compensated despite the fact that the TC declared it null

The Platform of the Public Business Sector of the Canary Islands (SPEC) demands that the Executive return the salary level to all the workers affected by
the 5% cut they suffered in 2010 to meet the deficit and that the Constitutional Court declared null four years later.

Currently, of the 24 entities represented by the platform, nine have open judicial processes and are in the process of negotiating, while at least another eight do not even plan to reach agreements.

"After the ruling, the officials and the labor staff did recover that amount, and some company at the stroke of a complaint, but it is not understood that there are differences," he says.
Lorenzo Galindo, SPEC spokesperson. "We are not demanding a salary increase, but to recover what was taken from us."

The measure, which was added to a rise in the IGIC, meant saving 800 million euros to the regional budget. After the failure of the TC, it was expected d
evolver between 105 and 132 million to around 2,000 public workers, but it was not until the 2019 Budget Law that an additional provision was included that called for starting negotiations with the companies.

“None of the managements complied with it because they said that the spending rule was not being complied with,” says the spokesman, who points to the 112 staff as a consequence, which presented a collective conflict in extremis,
or Grecasa'swhich started a strike.

Twelve years later, Galindo calculates that
between 700 and 1,000 employees remain the same. The platform also criticizes that the prolongation of the conflict translates into an increase in spending for the regional coffers. “They have no problem prosecuting everything because it does not affect them directly in their pockets, but it is public money that we could save,” he adds.

a basic problem

Beyond the 5% cut, the sector presents problems of a structural nature due to the lack of homogeneity in working conditions. "There is a problem of guardianship of companies," emphasizes the secretary of the platform,
Antonio Ortegon, which indicates that each company depends on a certain ministry and avails itself of its own agreement, agreements or clearance and customs agreements. However, the Government being the same "employer", they understand that there should be the same conditions.

Hence, another main point of dialogue with the Executive is that of
create a work table for the sector that equates wages, working hours, ILT situations and social assistance.

In the opinion of the platform, this would not only allow greater control, but would also mean a
better management of public money. "Why do we have to go to labor inspections and lawsuits if we can coordinate it from the base?" insists Galindo. "The same thing happens with the cut: it was a mandate from the Government of the Canary Islands, not from the companies, and there was unanimity there, but now that it has to be returned, no."

In spite of everything, the SPEC platform recognizes the predisposition shown by the Deputy Minister of the Presidency,
Anthony Oliverawith whom they have resumed talks this week after a last meeting that was held in 2020. However, those "good intentions" that are no longer enough for them and require that they be translated into deeds to demonstrate that there truly is political will to resolve the conflict, say the representatives.