It seems Telefonica and the unions could come to an agreement Employment Rules File Agreement (ERE)where they will once again reduce the influence they will have in their three main subsidiaries in Spain (Telefónica de España, Móviles and Soluciones) and, on the other hand, will reduce to 3,559 employees, 1,565 less than the 5,124 employees of their first proposal and 400 fewer workers than the 3,959 he handed over to unions just a week ago.

For Telephonica Spain the company offered 3016 items (down from an initial 4,085), Telefónica Móviles has just 485 (958 at the start) and Telefónica Soluciones 58 (81 at the start of negotiations), union sources told Europa Press.

In addition to reducing the impact of collective layoffs, the company also gave unions improved economic conditions for employees leaving the company.

In a proposal handed to unions this Wednesday, Telefonica offered workers born in 1968 an income of 65% of statutory wages until age 63 (up from 63% in the previous proposal) and 34% until age 65 (32% in the previous sentence).

For Born 1967, 1966 or 196560% of the standard salary up to 63 years of age (58% in the previous proposal) and 32% until 65 years of age (same percentage as in the previous proposal), to which a voluntary bonus of 3,000 euros is added.

Bye, for employees born in 1964 or previous years offers an income of 50% of the standard salary until 63 years of age and 32% until 65 years of age (unchanged in both cases), to which is also added a voluntary bonus of 3,000 euros.

It should be remembered that in the previous exit plan agreed in 2021, the economic proposal agreed between the company and the unions provided for an income of between 65% and 68% of the standard salary (depending on age) during the period between the date of dismissal and exit for the employee’s pension.

Union Requests

In its turn, UGT positively assessed the work carried out by the company”even though he asked” last effort” to reduce impact and improve the proposed conditions “in order to achieve maximum voluntariness” of trips.

In his opinion, if the changes he asks for are made, it could “sign a better exit agreement from the history of the company.

“However, we note that the collective bargaining positions of the associated companies remain distant and that only an agreement guaranteeing the labor and social conditions of the workforce for a minimum of 3 years will allow this to be negotiated. ERE,” he said in a statement to UGT.

“We demand from the company strong commitment to ensuring stability in the composition accepting the postulates of the TSA in order to negotiate an agreement,” he added.

However, Sumados-Fetiko continues to consider the proposed conditions “insufficient.” company in order to reach an agreement on collective dismissal.

In this context, the union advised the company that it needed to “significantly” reduce the impact of the ERE because economic conditions were not similar to those of previous exit plans.

He also repeated his request that collective dismissal is voluntary and general and increase the percentage of the proposed standard salary, as well as extend it to the normal retirement age.

Other issues that Soumados-Fetiko raises are the payment of 100% of the special social security agreement until retirement age; inclusion in standard wages of two-year periods, level jumps and inflation (CPI) of the year in which departure and inclusion in the standard salary The amount a company is currently contributing to a pension plan.

“Exclude from the target audience of collective dismissal those working people who, due to their personal circumstances, do not meet the requirements get early retirement. Based on data provided by the company, we determine that this group could reach 300 people,” the union added.

The next meeting to negotiate collective redundancies will take place this Thursday morning, December 21, the unions said.

Entrance to Sepi

On Tuesday the government announced that will buy up to 10% of Telefonica shares through the State Society for Industrial Participation (SEPI), a movement that responds to the emergence of the Saudi telecommunications company STC last September with 9.9% of the operator’s share capital under the chairmanship of José María Álvarez-Pallet.

Regarding the impact of the executive’s decision on the ongoing negotiations, that is, collective dismissal and collective agreement (the current one is an extension of the previous one and expires on December 31), the unions (UGT, CCOO and Sumados-Feticos) note that this will not affect the ongoing conversations.

“I am glad that the state is becoming part of the shareholders of Telefonica. Regarding the negotiations that we are currently conducting, I do not think that they will have any consequences,” however, a representative of Soumados-Fetiko clarified in a statement to Europa Press.

However, UGT has asked the government that this investment be accompanied by “regulatory changes that promote competition in infrastructure and employment”.