The prime minister on Monday estimated the increase in public administration payrolls at 5.1% in 2023 and defended that the agreement on salary valuation and careers in the civil service until 2026 allows predictability and stability.
António Costa spoke in Palácio Foz, in Lisbon, at the end of the signing ceremony of the agreement on salary increase and careers in public administration, until the end of the legislature, between the government and two unions of the UGT: Fesap and STE.
This agreement, which was not signed by the Frente Comum, of the CGTP-IN, provides, among other things, for an update of the basic remuneration of the public administration to 761.58 euros in 2023, a forecast of an annual salary update equal to a salary level ( 52 euros) or a minimum of 2% for all civil servants until 2026, as well as a guarantee of a global increase of at least 208 euros over the next four years.
After the agreement was signed by the minister of the presidency, Mariana Vieira da Silva, and by the union leaders José Abraão (Fesap) and Helena Rodrigues (STE), the executive branch said that this is the first commitment since 1999 of rewarding nature celebrated in the field of public administration, and the first ever with a multi-year forecast.
“We are now creating a salary and career improvement framework with predictability and stability for the next four years”claimed António Costa, who had to hear him in the audience, the finance minister, Fernando Medina.
“I am well aware that agreements are always the possible meeting point, certainly under what the workers’ representatives wanted and at the right point for the government, which has the function of mediating between the citizens of the public service and other citizens of the taxpayer”said.
According to the prime minister, this agreement “honours” the medium-term agreement signed by the executive branch two weeks ago in the field of social dialogue to improve income, wages and competitiveness.
“This agreement has a double dimension: another immediate one on salary update; and another no less important on career development. , the civil service payroll will increase by 5.1% next year”to maintain.
António Costa then indicated that, with this agreement, “there is a transversal increase of 52 euros, which corresponds to the commitment of all employees to advance at least one salary scale over the next four years, meaning that in these four years there will be an evolution of 208 in the salary range from each”.
“But this agreement is accompanied by a series of measures to improve careers”he added.
In his speech, António Costa referred specifically to employees in general public administration careers, saying that they are the ones with less claim to power compared to those in the “multiple” specialty careers.
“Undoubtedly, over the years, they have lagged in the face of the many forms of valorization, whether it be salaries, or careers, special careers.”orphan.
Contrary to the speech of the former socialist leader José Abraão, who cited the agreement as a party point, the executive branch leader argued that the path regarding public administration employees should start in 2016, first with the end of the salary cuts from the “troika” and, later, with the thawing of careers.
“I can’t remember my careers thawing for so many years in a row as they have been since 2018″marked.
António Costa also pointed out that from 2019 the principle of the annual salary update has been restored and the admission procedures in the administration have thawed.
“Today we have reached a new level. We must always find the way to continue the journey, but we must always take the step safely enough so that it is never bigger than the leg. Every step we take is not a risk of relapse “he added.
Source: DN
