His proposal, which includes a single payment at the end of the agreement in 2027 of 3%, is far from that of the unions, with a salary increase of 18%
MADRID, 3 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The National Association of Large Distribution Companies (Anged), which includes companies such as El Corte Inglés, Carrefour or Ikea, among others, has committed to a 10% gain in purchasing power during the term of the new department store agreement, the largest in Spain, affecting some 260,000 workers.
Specifically, as Anged explained, it is a 2.5% salary increase for this year and guaranteed linear increases until the last year of validity, until reaching a 7% minimum fixed salary increase in the agreement.
Additionally, Anged has stressed that it is “clearly” committed to sharing business results, directly and year on year. Thus, as she has explained, sales and remuneration will join hands from the sector through the consolidation of variable increases in tables, up to a maximum of an additional 3%.
“This 10% gain in purchasing power is Anged’s commitment to its workforce during the term of the agreement, after two years in which, at a time of extreme difficulty, wage containment has gone hand in hand with maintaining employment. In any case, it guarantees that 10%, through the establishment of a guarantee in the event that there is no consolidated variable remuneration”, he explained.
The employers of El Corte Inglés have highlighted that it is a joint commitment, in line with what the unions have been demanding for several collective agreements, which does not take into account the “disproportionate” rise in costs associated with the activity (energy, logistics, products or raw materials, among others).
From the association, it has become clear that it is necessary to adapt the collective agreement to the new legal drafts and to address “pressing” issues for trade such as the high rate of absenteeism, always from the commitment between unions and companies.
Between 2013 and 2020 there was a real increase in purchasing power of 5.8%, that is, Anged’s wages rose 5.8% above the CPI.
Later, as the employer explains, the pandemic and the war in Ukraine in 2021 and 2022 have been a “very complicated” challenge for the sector.
“The set of union requests, all of them legitimate, should go hand in hand with the consolidation of the Sector, without losing sight of employment as the main asset and occupation of all the negotiating parties,” he pointed out.
For its part, the social table, made up of Fetico, Valorian (formerly Fasga), CC.OO. and UGT, has shown its “forceful and emphatic” rejection of Anged’s proposal.
“The salary increase in this sector should be the only premise that guides us, history will judge these large companies if they have dignified and accompanied their workers by increasing their base salaries”, stressed the general secretary of Fetico, Antonio Pérez.
“It is not admissible that an unconsolidated payment is intended to be given in a delayed manner in 2027 when working people have to face inflation at this very moment,” he added.
In his opinion, the 7% increase in four years “does not compensate for the reality of the CPI for a single year and is also totally far removed from the reality of sales this year, which have even increased by 10% compared to the previous year. “.
From the unions, they have proposed a salary increase of 18% in four years, at a rate of 4.225% per year, to which is added a drop in working hours to 1,758 hours, compared to the current 1,770, a single payment upon signing the agreement of a non-consolidable amount of 4.5% and a reduction of 25% on holidays and Sundays to work (free 75%).
Valorian’s general secretary, Miguel Venegas, has stated that Anged’s proposal is “far removed” from the unions’ requests.
Specifically, from Valorian they have proposed a base salary for the professional group of 18,500 euros in four years, that is, that would imply having a salary increase for 2023 and 2024 of 6% and for 2025 and 2026 of 3.2%.
“Right now, the positions are very far apart because with the increase that they propose, the minimum interprofessional wage (SMI) will hardly be exceeded,” said Venegas.
