The unions and the Large National Association of Distribution Companies (angry), which includes companies such as El Corte Inglés, Carrefour or Ikea, among others, have agreed on a salary increase of 17% in four yearswithin the framework of the negotiation of the new collective agreement for department stores, which affects more than 230,000 workers.
Unions Fetico, CCOO, Valorian and UGT have agreed with the employer a salary increase of 17%, although 14% corresponds to a fixed increase, while 3% will correspond to a minimum annualized variable remuneration from 2024 not consolidable. Apart from the significant salary increase, the agreement outlines a new labor relations framework that regulates various aspects that are always a source of conflict in the distribution sector, such as work on Saturdays and holidays or paid leave.
In 2023 a fixed 4.5% will be paid, in 2024 a fixed 4.5%, in 2025 a fixed 3% and in 2026 a fixed 2%. The general secretary of Fetico, Antonio Pérez, has opined to Europa Press that with the new agreement the union objectives of the negotiation have been achieved, with the minimum wage of around 18,000 euros per year. Sources from the Valorian union have considered that the pact “rewards the enormous effort and sacrifice of all workers in the sector in recent years.”
According to him new collective agreementthe remuneration of salary concepts such as diets, the vacation bag (which increases by 29% up to 450 euros) or teleworking (40%, up to 35 euros) is also increased.
On the poignant question of work on Saturdays and holidays, Valorian points out that “the Saturday and Sunday breaks so that it is possible to improve the reconciliation of personal and professional life”. Thus, it has been decided to reduce work Sundays and holidays, reducing the current percentages to 30%. Specifically, 50% will go to work up to 15 openings (two Sundays less), from 16 openings to 25 a 40%, from 25 to a general opening a 30% and in a general opening a number of 22 Sundays to which is added a free Saturday together with a Sunday off.
The agreement also improves the conciliation with an eight-hour permit that is extended in its use to dependent people or people over 70 years of age to accompany them to medical emergencies, as well as the increase from six free Saturdays and Sundays to nine free Saturdays a year.
Related news
In the same way, the agreement includes aspects related to equality and job security or women victims of gender violence who in case of transfer will have 750 euros of help. In turn, the sector’s evolution observatory will guarantee a commitment of 90% permanent employment and adaptation to the needs of the sector in the coming years.
The employer’s position
Anged sources consider the agreement a “clear way of share business results, directly and year by year. Sales and remunerations will go hand in hand from the Sector through the consolidation of variable increases in tables, until reaching a maximum of an additional 3%”. “After two years in which, in a moment of extreme difficulty, salary containment It has gone hand in hand with maintaining employment”, the employers stand out, recalling that between 2013 and 2020 there was a real increase in purchasing power of 5.8%” and that later, the pandemic and the war in Ukraine in 2021 and 2022 “have been a very complicated challenge for the sector”, which the signed agreement must help to overcome.