Lisbon, Sept. 2, 2025 (Lusa) - The Trade Union Front, led by the STE, will propose to the government a 6.4% pay rise for all civil servants in 2026 and an update of the meal allowance to €12.
"The Trade Union Front believes that it is important and necessary to review the 2025-2028 multiannual agreement, proposing a 6.4% pay rise that covers all workers", i.e. “not just for the start of the career, but for the whole career”, said the president of the State Technical Staff Union (STE), Helena Rodrigues, at a press conference in Lisbon.
The aim is to "avoid devaluing the pay of the most qualified workers", as well as to "attract the youngest, who have just graduated", she said, pointing out that the Common Front "sent the government the demands for 2026" yesterday [Monday].
The base salary for the public administration (aka the state minimum wage) is currently €878.41, so with this proposal, it would rise to €934.62.
The trade union front is also demanding an increase in the meal allowance from the current €6 to €12, as well as "fair compensation for the 9 years, 4 months and 2 days" of length of service "that was awarded to teachers, for the other professional groups who have not had this time recognised", the revision of SIADAP with the elimination of quotas and the "updating of the ADSE discount rate to 2.5% over 12 months", specified Helena Rodrigues.
They also propose updating pensions to "never less than 6.4%", imposing "less penalising rules for long contributory careers without a legal retirement age" and decriminalising early retirement by cutting the sustainability factor.
At a time when the government is expressing its intention to move forward with the possibility of giving workers the chance to buy up to two additional days' holiday, with a loss of pay but without the loss of other benefits, the Trade Union Front is proposing the reinstatement of three days' holiday.
"Holidays are an inalienable right, and so we think it's a challenge for workers to buy - and I believe some will, others won't - holiday days," said Helena Rodrigues, when asked about the government's proposal.
Currently, the Labour Code stipulates that "the annual holiday period has a minimum duration of 22 working days". However, it acknowledges that days can be added in the context of collective bargaining.
The president of the STE also stated that she hopes these proposals will be considered when the State Budget for 2026 is drafted. Although she emphasised that no meetings have yet been scheduled between the Ministry of Finance and the civil service unions, she expressed hope that they can take place this month.
In November 2024, the government signed a new multi-annual agreement with two of the civil service unions (Fesap and Frente Sindical) to increase the pay of civil service workers.
The agreement provides for increases of at least €56.58 for gross monthly salaries of up to €2,631.62 and a minimum of 2.15 % for higher salaries in 2026.
For 2027 and 2028, the agreement establishes an increase of at least €60.52 or a minimum of 2.3%.
Bearing in mind that the legislature runs until 2029, the Frente Sindical has expressed its willingness to revise the existing agreement to cover the entire legislature. "Our proposals, of course, imply a revision of the agreement. And that"s what we hope the government will do," said Helena Rodrigues.
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