The Prime Minister today showed willingness to review the salaries of civil service workers, noting that inflation in 2022 was higher than the Government had initially forecast.
“Because we see that there is a change in the assumptions on the basis of which the agreements with the civil service were signed, [we are available] to speak with the unions regarding the income of civil service workers”, declared António Costa in the debate on general policy , in parliament, in response to the PCP.
The executive leader pointed out that, when the agreements on civil service salaries were signed, inflation was expected to be 7,4% in 2022.
"We know that the final inflation of 2022 was 7,8% and, therefore, we are available for a review, taking into account what the change is with regard to wages", he reinforced.
The BE coordinator, Catarina Martins, questioned the Prime Minister if the salary update in the civil service will be retroactive to January and at what amount, but António Costa sent the Government's proposal for negotiation with the unions.
“I just heard the Prime Minister say that he is going to review the agreement [on salaries in the civil service] and so that this is not a poster ad for debate, I ask him if this means increases aligned with inflation and with retroactive effects to January”, Catarina Martins asked António Costa directly during the debate with the Government on general policy taking place this afternoon in parliament.
In a first response, the Prime Minister recalled that “the agreement that was signed within the framework of the civil service assumed an inflation of 7,4%”, but that this was 7,8% and therefore the Government understood that it was its “ must call the unions and express their willingness to update the agreement in light of what was higher inflation in 2022 than had been forecast”.
In the reply, the leader of the BE said that she had not realized if this meant “0,4% in an agreement that was already well below inflation” nor if I realized it had retroactives to January, insisting on the question: “Are you going to make an update with retroactives to January? Yes and how much?
“You won't take this the wrong way, but as you should understand the right to collective bargaining implies respect for the unions and therefore the first proposal of the Government will be presented to the unions. Don't take this the wrong way, ”he replied.
Comments