Spain: Government Approves Largest Public Employment Offer In 10 Years

The Spanish Government recently approved the largest public employment offer in 10 years. At the same time, the government also approved the Master Plan for Dignified Work to combat job insecurity and improve job quality and recognised the right to universal healthcare for all Spanish citizens and residents in Spain.

The Minister for Territorial Policy and Public Function, Meritxell Batet, reported that the Council of Ministers approved several Royal Decrees related to public employment. “We need eager and motivated public servants that can overcome the lack of prospects seen in recent years and who work with passion with the interests of society at heart. They have this vocation for public service and the Government of Spain must implement the right conditions so that this vocation can be broadened and applied in the best possible way”, she said.

In this regard, the minister announced that the government has approved the largest public employment offer since 2008 with a total of 30,844 posts. She also highlighted that this is the “most net jobs created since that time, as 1,909 new posts will be offered, 58% more than last year’s offer, which was the first year to see new posts created since 2008”. Meritxell Batet underlined that this job offer has been backed by four of the five trade unions present on the General Board of the State Administration (CSIF, CCOO, UGT and CIG).

This Public Employment Offer provides for the creation of 23,156 posts. Of these, 11,095 are for new public servants and 6,204 through internal promotion (17,299 in total).

Furthermore, Meritxell Batet reported that the government has approved a Royal Decree that includes an extraordinary offer of 323 posts to address the demands of asylum and refugee applications, which are growing exponentially and which are in addition to those from the last few years. “This also responds to the claim made by non-governmental organisations”.

The government also passed a job stability decree. The minister specified that this is the part that corresponds to the General State Administration that has not yet been implemented as well as the part corresponding to the Administration of Justice for 2018, the first phase of which was approved last year and which affects 5,534 temporary jobs as a whole”.

In addition to the posts approved can be added the 7,688 posts in April for teachers, the Armed Forces and the State law enforcement agencies. This thus amounts to a total of 30,844 posts.

Meritxell Batet underlined that this offer will address job demands in priority sectors for Spanish citizens: social services, urgent asylum and refugee needs, unemployment benefits, penitentiary administration, security and emergencies, among others.

The minister stressed that by doing this “we are not only transferring economic recovery to wages but also to job creation in a decisive commitment to the public sector and to the provision of quality public services”.

Meritxell Batet also underlined that public workers in a situation of temporary incapacity will once again receive 100% of their remuneration, thanks to the Royal Decree on the recovery of rights.