Government and civil service unions meet again Monday

O Government will meet again next Monday with the three trade union federations of the Public Administration, in the framework of the negotiation process on the general update of salaries of civil servants next year.

This is the second round of negotiations in the framework of the annual general negotiation process for public administration, which is being conducted by the State Secretary for Public Administration, Marisa Garrido, at the Ministry of Finance.

According to the information advanced by the union structures at the last meeting, the Minister of State and Finance, Joaquim Miranda Sarmento, should also be present at the meeting.

The Trade Union Front, led by the State Technical Boards Union (STE), is the first to be received at 09:00, followed by the Federation of Trade Unions of Public Administration and Entities with Public Purposes (Fesap), at 11:00, and the National Federation of Workers' Unions in Public and Social Functions (Common Front), at 4:00.

The existing multiannual agreement, signed between Government, Fesap and STE, provides for wage increases of 2.30%, with a minimum of EUR 60.52 in 2027. To confirm the achievement of the target foreseen in the agreement, the remuneration base for public administration will rise from the current EUR 934.99 to EUR 995.51 in 2027.

The civil service unions demand higher increases to cope with the prospects of speeding up the inflation rate, having submitted their claim proposals to the government at the first meeting in this negotiating process, which took place October 6.

In a statement, the Ministry of Finance was made available “to examine the issues presented”, with a view to ensuring “balanced solutions that guarantee the strengthening of available income and the continuous improvement of working conditions in the State”.

Fesap, affects the UGT, proposes that the remuneration base in the public service rises to 1,050 euros in 2027 and a minimum update of 6.5% or 95 euros for all workers.

The structure led by Joseph Abraham, like last year, also demands that the food allowance be increased to 10 euros a day, tax-free.

The new agreement in force dictates that the meal allowance, currently EUR 6,15, is increased by 15 cents per year by 2029.

On the other hand, the STE, also committed to the UGT, claimed an update of remuneration above 5%, in addition to the EUR 2.3% or EUR 60.52 provided for in the multiannual agreement, as well as an anticipation of the increase in the food allowance planned for 2028, so that it rises to EUR 6,45 already next year.

The Common Front, in turn, advocates a wage increase of not less than 15%, a minimum of 150 euros, for all workers and an increase in the remuneration base of the Public Administration to 1,150 euros, with effect from 1 January 2027.

The structure led by Sebastião Santana, affects CGTP, also requires an increase in the meal allowance to 13 euros.

The government estimates to spend EUR 1,231 million more on staff expenditure in the public administration next year, according to the report accompanying the proposed State Budget for 2027 (OE2027).