More than 104,000 administrative workers in various sectors not covered by collective bargaining are expected to receive a 7.89% wage increase starting March 1, according to a draft government regulation currently undergoing public comment.
According to the notice of the draft regulation on working conditions for administrative employees, published on Friday in the Bulletin of Labor and Employment (BTE), 104,250 regular employees who are not covered by specific collective rules are at risk.
The notification, after 10 days of public consultation, was signed by Labor Minister Miguel Fontes and a draft regulation was issued by several ministries.
The issuance of the decree requires the creation of a technical committee consisting of representatives of ministries responsible for sectors of activity in which there is no association of employers with which trade union associations could enter into collective agreements.
The technical committee proposed increasing wages and meal allowances by an average of 6.5%, to €6.39, taking into account inflation and an increase in the national minimum wage from €760 in 2023 to €820 in 2024.
The government considered that the update of the wage table should be done “in the same proportion” as the national minimum wage, which corresponds to “an increase of 7.89% for all levels of the minimum monthly wage table and therefore the value of the seniority payment , indexed to level VII of the table of minimum monthly remunerations,” can be read in the document.
The regulation covers several occupational categories, including IT analysts and programmers, service managers, accountants, legal support and human resources specialists, treasurers, telephone operators, cashiers, janitors, janitors, receptionists and janitors. Last year, a regulation on working conditions determined an increase in average wages by 7.8% for almost 94 thousand administrative workers and an increase in the food allowance by 10% to six euros.
The 2023 increase was published in June and was retroactive to April.
At the time, the Portuguese Confederation of Trade and Services (CPC) “declared its opposition to the issuance of the regulation”, arguing that “on pain of starting an inflationary spiral” wages should be updated to 5.1%, as set out in the Medium-Term Increase Agreement income, wages and competitiveness”, signed in October 2022 at the Social Concert.
An agreement between the government and some social partners calls for a 5% increase by 2024.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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