Spanish trade unions organising care workers in the Balearic islands have won a substantial pay increase in the first collective agreement covering residential and day-care centres.
The deal negotiated by care sector unions in the CCOO and UGT confederations secures a rise of more than 41% staged over the next four years, 22.42% from June 2023, 5.81% from June 2024, 5% from June 2025 and 3.86% from June 2026. The agreement covers around 4,000 workers and brings them into line with pay rates in the regional authority.
There will also be an 18-hour reduction in working hours (7 hours in 2024, 7 hours in 2025 and 4 hours in 2026) and two additional days of paid leave. The agreement is with the AESTE non-profit organisation and support and funding from the regional authority was key to the deal.
In Estonia also, a new two-year collective agreement will raise healthcare workers’ minimum hourly wage by 20% from April, and a further 10% in April 2024.
Photo: Tania Van den Berghen