The Ministry of Labor is moving to try to reach an agreement with the social agents on the unemployment benefit reform, which was blocked when the Cortes rejected the decree in which it was included with the curious sum of negative votes from PP, Vox and Podemos . There is progress, the unions acknowledge, but they also add that they are moderate and that there is still a lot of ground to cover. Even more so when the most difficult aspects have not yet been addressed, and furthermore, and here they have complained, they have not yet been given a text with which they can work.
In any case, at the social dialogue table this Friday, Labor reaffirmed its intention, already known, to process the reform through a bill, which leaves more room for negotiation for the parliamentary groups and, with it, It is assumed that there are also more options for being approved. And furthermore, he made a concession that the unions asked of him. Workers who have a part-time contract will receive full unemployment benefits when applicable. In the old wording, the subsidy depended on the last employment relationship. If it was part-time and therefore, with a shorter working day, the subsidy was also lower than that received by full-time workers.
It is a concession from the ministry that has been reported by the unions, who see it as relevant. “We welcome the fact that the Government has finally been open and has accepted the unanimous request of the social partners that the partiality of subsidies disappear. It made no sense that those benefits that came from part-time contracts ended up having a part-time subsidy,” stated Fernando Luján. For his part, Carlos Bravo, from CC.OO., has stressed that this change will have a significant impact on gender issues, because it is women who have the most part-time contracts, and therefore, also those who saw the most restrictions. the subsidy. “It is a relevant advance,” said Bravo.
Positive tone from the meeting, but there is still much to do before this reform of the unemployment benefit is approved, which is received once the contributory benefit for unemployment ends, and which according to the decree that fell, increased its amount (it passed in the first months from 480 euros per month to 570), the number of beneficiaries, with the incorporation of those under 45 years of age without family responsibilities and agricultural residents residing outside Andalusia and Extramadura.
