The reform of the unemployment benefit that was wrecked at the beginning of the year in Congress, with the decisive vote against Podemos, is back on track this time with the agreement between the Central Government and the unions, although without the employer . An agreement that was signed yesterday by the second vice-president and Minister of Labor, Yolanda Díaz, and the general secretaries of the UGT, Pepe Álvarez, and CC.OO., Unai Sordo. Two-way social dialogue, but without the CEOE, which has criticized that “a real negotiation has not taken place” and points out that the rush to sign could be motivated by Sunday’s Catalan elections.
On the other hand, the Minister of Labor has emphasized that the “social dialogue continues at full capacity” and has publicly thanked the employer for the contributions to the negotiated texts, especially with regard to the compatibility of benefits and wages, even if it has not been added to the consensus.
“It’s not a paycheck, it’s a right”, said Yolanda Díaz, to highlight the importance of this increase in the subsidy and its extension of coverage for the most vulnerable. For their part, both Pepe Alvárez and Unai Sordo have declared themselves satisfied with the text which, in their opinion, improves the previous version, overturned in January.
The decisive step for the agreement was made at this Monday’s meeting with social agents, in which the Ministry of Labor made a significant concession, recovering the contribution base of 125% for those older than 52 . This was the question that at the time motivated Podemos’s vote against, with the argument that it meant a cut for these workers.
The full collection of the fourth payment of European funds, 10,000 million euros, depends on this reform, which will be evaluated by the European Commission on May 20, after having granted an extension. In the previous examinations, Spain has always complied and received the integrity of the amounts.
Now the Spanish Government must decide whether to process the reform as a bill, a formula that allows amendments to be introduced, but which requires much more time, or opt for a decree law, which allows for immediate application, but with the risk of all or nothing in parliamentary voting. From Treball they indicate that no decision has been taken, and everything suggests that there will be no movements until after the Catalan elections.
This additional protection for workers over 52 years of age is added to other measures, such as the compatibility of both the unemployment benefit and the contributory benefit with an occupation, for a maximum of 180 days, although with some different characteristics .
Regarding the allowance, compatibility is generalized to all contracts, and regarding the benefit, a salary can be combined with an “employment support supplement”, on a decreasing basis, after one year of to be unemployed Another condition is that the salary does not exceed 1,350 euros gross per month (225% of the Iprem). In any case, in terms of compatibility, aspects still remain open, with unions claiming that it is optional to collect the support supplement and effective inspection to prevent fraud.
The reform expands the subsidy and also the beneficiaries. The subsidy increases to 570 euros and there may be “hundreds of thousands” of new beneficiaries, according to initial calculations by the unions.
To be precise, the current amount of 480 euros per month rises to 570 euros in the first six months (95% of the Iprem), to go to 540 euros the following semester (90% of the Iprem), and be reduced to 480 euros until the end of the collection period (80% of the Iprem).
On the other hand, it is extended to groups, such as those under 45 without family responsibilities, occasional agricultural workers, cross-border workers from Ceuta and Melilla and those who can prove paid periods of less than six months and who have no family responsibilities .
One of the novelties incorporated in the last stage of the negotiation has been to extend the subsidy to victims of gender-based violence and returned emigrants. The situation of people who work part-time and who for this reason received a lower allowance is also corrected. Now they are equaled with full-time workers, which especially benefits women, who are the most common in these contracts.
