Officials from the central government’s Justice Department, under the leadership of Minister Felix Bolaños, have reached an agreement on a salary increase that resolves a year-long labor dispute. The agreement includes salary increases of between 165 and 250 euros per month, to be applied through specific allowances, for about 12,000 workers in communities that do not have jurisdiction over Justice (such as Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y León, Extremadura, Murcia, and the Balearic Islands, as well as the cities of Ceuta and Melilla) and central bodies (such as the National Court, Supreme Court, Prosecution Service, central courts, Civil Registry, and the National Institute of Toxicology). The agreement will be signed on Thursday at the ministry headquarters.
The conflict with Justice had been ongoing since April 2023, when officials began to mobilize for a salary increase similar to the one obtained by legal administrators in Justice Administration (between 430 and 450 euros per month) after a two-month strike. Representatives of the 45,000 justice officials, including those in regions with jurisdiction over Justice, joined the protests. However, when the government began negotiations, now under Bolaños’ leadership following the 23-J elections, the ministry stated that salary increases could only be negotiated for officials under the central administration. The majority union in Justice, CSIF, and UGT agreed and will sign the agreement on Thursday. However, CC OO walked away from the negotiation table and issued a critical statement about the agreement.
The agreed-upon salary increase will be implemented gradually: 50% will be paid starting with the May paycheck, with retroactive effect from January 1 of this year; and by January 1, 2025, the full amount will be paid. The agreement is comparable to those signed in regions with jurisdiction over Justice, such as Madrid, Asturias, and the Basque Country. Negotiations are ongoing in Catalonia. The ministry points out that regions cannot be forced to agree to similar conditions with their officials, but it would be desirable for all to sign similar agreements. The document to be signed on Thursday includes a clause in which the ministry commits to informing this agreement to the autonomous communities with jurisdiction over Justice at the sectorial conference.
In addition to the salary increase, the agreement includes the convening of a delegated committee within three months to improve conditions in areas such as reducing temporary positions, hiring reinforcement staff, training, and ensuring health protection at work. Ministry sources state that the agreement is in line with the political approach taken by the department since Bolaños assumed office, focusing on reaching agreements with all legal operators and undergoing a large-scale transformation of the public Justice service. Subscribe to not miss anything. Subscribe to keep reading without limits.
