Budget margin for public services is exhausted, says government

The State Secretary for Public Administration announced on Friday that the budget margin for the civil service for 2023 has been exhausted with the proposal to increase the meal allowance to 5.20 euros to the unions.

The official spoke to journalists during the presidency of the Council of Ministers, in Lisbon, after the second round of negotiations with civil servants unions on salary increases for next year.

During the first meeting, which was held on Monday, the cabinet indicated that the valuation of the public administration would cost 1,200 million euros, including salary increases, career advancement and promotions and the revision of the salary scale.

In today’s round with unions, the government has proposed to increase the meal allowance from the current €4.77 to €5.20, which will cost €77 million, raising projected global civil service spending to 2023. almost 1,300 million euros, explains Inês Ramires.

“It is sold out [a margem] with this specific measure,” said the state secretary, admitting that the amount had already been foreseen in the budget, but still depended on what the unions considered to be a priority in the negotiations.

As the Secretary of State explained, the face value that rose at Monday’s meeting, from $1,200 million, has risen to about $1,300 million, “within the percentage range the government had set as a 5.1% increase in payroll. “.

In the original proposal, the National Budget for 2023 (OE2023) had foreseen an impact of 1,200 million euros, of which 738 million euros from wage increases, 284 million euros from promotions and promotions and another 142 million euros with the valuation of the three general public administrations. .

The government is proposing a multi-year agreement for 2023 that includes pay increases between 8% and 2%, with a minimum of about 52 euros per employee and the improvement of the general careers of senior technician, technical assistant and operational assistant.

Negotiations on improving general careers should start in the second half of October.