Civil servants in 2022 suffered a real loss in their monthly base salaries of about €93. Inflation of 7.8% last year was largely responsible for this reduction, but the modest wage increase of 1.8% in the last quarter also contributed to the deterioration in purchasing power, and was insufficient to offset the relentless rise in the price index. compensate. Polytechnic teachers, senior managers and municipal politicians were the most affected careers.
On average, state workers earned 1567.2 euros per month in October last year, which corresponds to the gross amount without subsidies or other additional compensation. This is a slight increase of 1.8% year-on-year, which is about 27 euros more per month, according to the statistical overview published this Tuesday by the General Directorate of Administration and Public Employment (DGAEP) regarding the last quarter of 2022 However, this increase is not enough to offset the average annual inflation rate of 7.8% recorded by the National Institute of Statistics (INE). Calculations by Dinheiro Vivo show that for the effect of the price increase to be zero, gross wages must rise by approximately 120 euros. So we are facing a real loss of 93 euros per month.
Among the hardest hit careers, as they even saw their salaries decline in a year, are Polytechnic Higher Education teachers, senior leaders and the municipal police. College teachers suffer the losses. In addition to the fact that the salary fell by 2.9% or 92 euros in homologous terms to 3101.4 euros, these professionals still had to bear the weight of inflation of 7.8%. In total, the drop in income therefore amounted to 341 euros per month. Senior managers follow in this list of civil servants who are punished the most in terms of salary. In this case, the average base salary fell by 0.3%, or EUR 7.1, reaching EUR 2,684.5 last October. Add to that the impact of the increase in the price index and there is an additional loss of 209 euros, resulting in a total real decrease in the average basic salary of 217 euros. Finally, the gross monthly salaries of municipal police officers fell by 1%, or 10.2 euros, to 1,018.9 euros. Add the discount of 7.8% due to inflation and you end up with a real monthly loss of 80 euros.
Diagnostic and therapeutic technicians and conservatory staff experienced the highest salary increases.
The diagnostic and therapeutic technician career was the only one to see base pay rise above inflation: 10%. For example, in October 2022, these professionals started earning EUR 1441.7 per month, which is EUR 131.1 more than the EUR 1310.6 they received in October 2021, according to the most recent data from DGAEP. Although employees of the registry office and notaries were not entitled to a higher increase than inflation, they still saw their salary increase by 6.6%, from 4,052.9 euros to 4,322.2 euros, an increase of 269.3 euros per month.
The multi-year agreement on the increase of public administration salaries until 2026, signed between the Ministry of the Presidency and two unions belonging to UGT, can somehow offset the fines caused by the salary freeze in the state due to high inflation. It should be remembered that for this year all civil servants will receive a nominal increase of EUR 52.11, or 2%, for a gross monthly salary of more than EUR 2612.03. However, several general careers, such as technical assistant, operational assistant with more than 30 years of service and senior technician, between the 3rd and 14th position, were entitled to a salary increase of 104.22 euros this year as a result of the general increase and a jump in the reward level.
In terms of the number of employees, the state ended the year with 742,260 employees, which is 8,813 more, representing a 1.2% increase compared to December 2021, according to DGAEP. This increase is mainly due to new hires by local governments, which grew by 3.3%, equivalent to 4,256 additional jobs. Central administration contributed with a 0.7% increase in government employment, representing 3,650 additional jobs, according to the DGAEP bulletin.
Specifically, in local government, “the increase in employment compared to the same period last year was fundamentally from representatives of the legislature,” which skyrocketed by 64.5%, or 1389, in absolute terms, to 3543,” and the result was the application of Law No. 69/2021, of October 20, with effect from January 1, 2022, which resulted in an increase in the registration of local elected officials in the parish councils,” the DGAEP clarifies. The approved diploma expanded the possibility for council presidents to exercise their mandate part-time in all parishes. It used to be allowed only in certain parishes, based on their demographics: in parishes with a minimum of 5,000 and a maximum of 10,000 voters or in parishes with more than 3,500 voters and an area of 50 square kilometers.
Source: DN
