Officials have still not managed to regain purchasing power that has been absorbed by inflation. In cumulative terms, from January to April, the real losses in the average monthly base salary, excluding subsidies, allowances or overtime, have already lost 60.94 euros or 61 euros, in round terms, according to Dinheiro Vivo’s accounts with based on the statistical summary published this Monday by the General Directorate of Administration and Public Employment (DGAEP). In April, average maturities rose to EUR 1637.7, while they should have increased to EUR 1698.64.
The latest data from DGAEP shows that the average gross base salary increased by 5.1% in April to EUR 1637.7, which corresponds to an increase of EUR 78.69 compared to EUR 1559.01 a year ago. This is a higher increase than in the previous period, compared to January, at 4.5%, largely due to the “combined effect of the entry and exit of employees at different pay levels, the pay-boosting measures and the update of the Remuneration Directive “. Basic Public Administration (BRAP) to 769.2 euros”, due to the additional increase of 1%, according to DGAEP.
Still, it remains below the annual average inflation rate, calculated in April, of 5.7%, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INE). In other words, just after the change in the price index, wages should have increased by 88.63 euros (5.7%), resulting in a monthly salary of 1647.64 euros. That is, there is a real loss of 9.94 euros.
In January, civil servants had already seen their salary shrink by 51 euros due to rising prices. On an annual basis, the average salary in that month increased by 4.5% or 70 euros to 1619.6 euros, while it should have had an increase of 7.8% or 120.9 euros to 1670.5 euros, to compensate for the average annual inflation of 7.8% recorded in 2022. If we add the erosion of January minus 51 euros and April, which translated into a reduction of 9.94 euros, we arrive at a cumulative real loss of 60, 94 euros.
However, it should be noted that INE’s most recent data, for June, points to real gains in public administration of 2.2%, with the gross average monthly compensation estimated to be set at 1948 euros. This not only looked at more recent statistics, from June instead of April, but also at non-regular remunerations, such as subsidies and allowances. DV calculations reveal only the base salary portion, which is constant.
College professors, legislature representatives and diplomats lose the most. Nursing technical assistants and higher earning assistants.
But not all employees had a 5.1% raise from a year ago salary. The DGAEP analyzes the evolution of average salaries by career and position and shows huge differences. Polytechnic Higher Education teachers bear the largest real losses, with a salary increase of only 0.2% against an average inflation rate of 5.7%. These employees, who earned 3,209.6 euros gross, received only 4.9 euros more compared to the salary of 3,204.7 euros a year ago. If we apply the increase equal to inflation of 5.7%, the remuneration update should have gone from EUR 182.7 to EUR 3387.4, a difference of EUR 177.8 per month.
Representatives of the legislature, with an increase of 0.7% to 2700.4 euros, and diplomats, with an increase of 0.9% to 2509.9 euros, complete the stage of careers with greater purchasing power losses . However, it is important to underline that these professions, including Polytechnic Higher Education teachers, are among the highest paid in public administration.
On the other side of the table, technical assistants, nurses and operations assistants were the ones who gained the most with updates of 10.4%, 9.5% and 8% respectively, above last year’s price index changes of 7. 8%, and in April of 5.7%. A technical assistant who received an average of 935.9 euros last April now earns 1032.7 euros, which corresponds to an average monthly increase of 96.8 euros. Nurses, with a salary of 1463.8, were increased by 9.5% and earned 1603.3 euros, which is 139.5 euros more.
In the case of operational assistants or assistants, the average salary of 734.3 euros increased from 58.9 euros to 793.2 euros, largely due to the BRAP update, which increased to 769.2 euros, above the national minimum wage, enabling the workers in this career at higher wage levels.
It should be noted that the additional 1% increase paid to all public administration employees in May, retroactive to January, was included in DGAEP average wage calculations for April.
In the second quarter, between April and June, the state employed 745,707 workers, which is 60 fewer jobs than in the first three months of the year, when there were 745,767 jobs. This decrease, which is virtually nil in percentage terms, is mainly due to the decrease in the number of doctors, university professors and GNR guards.
This contraction “was mainly due to the reduction of jobs in the Central Administration (-901 jobs, which corresponds to -0.2%),” according to the statistical overview. In this context, there is a decrease in the number of doctors due to termination of the legal employment relationship or the expiry of the contract, resulting in the loss of 600 jobs. DGAEP emphasizes that this trend reflects a pattern observed in all years of the 2011 series, in the 2nd quarter of the year.
There was also a decrease in the number of professors at universities and colleges, equivalent to 535 fewer jobs, due to “due to the termination of fixed-term contracts at the end of the school year”. The downsizing in the armed forces also contributed to the contraction of government employment, with the loss of 330 personnel, mostly associated with GNR guards.
Source: DN
