Unions and the Ministry of Public Service put an end to the second negotiation that is expected to culminate later with a new Framework Agreement for a 21st Century Administration. This week, the topic that was the focus of the meeting was employment. Thus, the portfolio led by Óscar López has committed to eliminate replacement fee “progressively” for the hiring of officials, which will be replaced with an alternative planning mechanism.
It is about the second promise from this Government to eliminate the replacement rate – a percentage that determines the number of vacancies that the public administration can cover with new personnel based on the casualties registered the previous year. The first came from the hand of José Luis Escrivá. The former Minister of Public Function and current governor of the Bank of Spain already committed in his mandate to eliminate the percentage that limits the number of vacancies that come forward in public employment offers.
Now, with the unanimous request of the three majority unions (Csif, UGT and CCOO), the ministry led by Óscar López once again commits to put an end, once and for all, to the replacement rate, say Csif sources. Although yes, they will do it “progressively” with an alternative personnel planning mechanism (based on objective criteria and personnel forecasts).
This proposal from the ministry, although it is on the right path, Csif considers it “insufficient”: “If we want to put an end to the abuse of temporary employment, we must directly eliminate the replacement rate and carry out a study of the needs of the workforce.” Given this request, Public Service will evaluate a draft at the request of the union center.
Furthermore, one of the most urgent issues in administrations is that of streamline selection processes. In this sense, the representatives of the civil servants assure that from the time a vacancy is offered until it is filled, no more than a year should pass. It should be noted that currently the average time is about three years. Thus, the ministry perceives that it is essential to negotiate a shock plan that allows the workforce to be resized to provide a quality public service in the different public administrations.
Another of the key points in employment, and one that has been demanded for years by the unions, is that of professional development and increased internal promotion within Public Administrations. In this sense, the Public Service has committed to the representatives of the civil servants to reserve a 50% quota of places in the different public employment offers and regulate it by merit contest, according to Csif sources.
In addition to promote citizen service officesand the creation of a Public Employment observatory as a body for study, diagnosis and proposal in matters of public employment.
Likewise, the agreement will address the updating residence and island complements to cover positions that are difficult to cover due to the cost of living.
With the second meeting over, the secretary of UGT Public Services, in response to the media, highlighted that it is “positive” to “bet” on occupational health and prevention of occupational risks in public administration. Furthermore, he positively values the attitude with which the Government approaches the negotiation.
