The Ministry of Finance invited public administration unions to a meeting on Wednesday, the day before the state budget proposal for 2025 (OE2025) is delivered, so that they can present their demands.

In the notice seen by LUSA, the government indicates that the meeting aims to “initiate the general negotiation process, within the scope of public administration, stipulated in Article 350 et seq. of the General Labor Code in Public Offices.”

An invitation was sent to the three unions that represent public employees, and the meetings will be held next Wednesday, October 9, at the Ministry of Finance, provided that they are separate.

The “timing” of the meeting was criticized by the unions. Speaking to Lusa, the Secretary General of the Federation of Unions of Public Administration and Public Purpose Entities (Fesap) admitted that there was some “discomfort” with the situation and considered it “unacceptable” that the meeting was held “less than 24 hours before the conference”. Delivering the state budget.”

José Abrão also says that the negotiations could have been held sooner, and regrets that the government did not have “as much urgency in negotiating” with the public service unions as it did with the social partners regarding the salary increase and the economic growth agreement (2025-2028). ) signed in the social agreement.

“It's the first time this has happened,” he said.

“This is a false start,” confirms the coordinator of the National Federation of Trade Unions in Public and Social Work (Common Front), stressing that negotiations are “supposed” to take place before submitting the draft law. State budget,” adds Sebastião Santana. However, he says, “there is still room for negotiation.”

In turn, the head of the State Technical Employees Union (STE) points out that the law stipulates that negotiations “must take place in the period of September/October,” but “over the years there has been no specific date.” [fixa] Let the negotiation process begin. (…) Other times it happened in December or January.”

In this sense, María Helena Rodríguez devalues ​​the situation. “It is desirable for this to happen during the preparatory work,” but this does not mean that there can be “changes at the specialty level.”

Lusa contacted the Ministry of Finance regarding these criticisms, but as of publication it was not possible to obtain a response.

The three unions representing the public administration have already submitted their demands. Under the UGT, Visap proposes to increase salaries by 6.5% in 2025, with a minimum update of €85 for all state employees, and an increase in the meal allowance from six to eight euros per day.

The Common Front, which influences the CGTP, demands a salary increase of at least 15%, with a minimum of 150 euros per worker, from January 2025, and an increase in the food allowance to 10.50 euros.

The STE wants to update the salary by at least 6% and increase the meal allowance from six to 10 euros per day.