The increase of 8.6% of the maximum contribution bases included in the General State Budgets for next year has provoked the wrath of the employers, who have reacted by describing the initiative as inadmissible and unilateral. In a harsh statement, the CEOE affirms that this decision has been taken "behind the back of social dialogue", because the issue had not been mentioned in the meetings of the social table focused on this issue, including the one that took place last Monday.
From that point on, the CEOE warns that "increasing social security contributions and placing an even greater burden on companies is a serious mistake, as it will have harmful effects on employment." In this sense, they recall that a general increase of 0.6% in social contributions is also contemplated through the Intergenerational Equity Mechanism (MEI), aimed at ensuring the sustainability of the pension system.
The employers have charged both for the fund and for the way in which this measure has been taken, which increases the maximum contribution base from the 4,139.40 euros per month now in force to 4,495.50. He complains about the increase in the burdens of the companies and because, as he says, it has been done without informing or consulting them. "There is a specific table with the social partners to deal with this issue, and it met for the last time last Monday without anything being transferred to us on this matter, with which the decision adopted is unpresentable and devalues social dialogue," says its release.
Both the Ministry of Inclusion and Social Security and the unions have declared themselves surprised by this statement from the employers. From the Ministry they deny that it is acting unilaterally, insisting that it is usual for the maximum pensions to rise each year and that it is not directly related to the social dialogue table in which the future rise of these pensions is discussed.
“It has surprised me enormously, every year the maximum contribution base goes up”, declared Minister José Luis Escrivá, adding that it is necessary that they increase in line with inflation. “It is not new”, the minister added, later recalling that in other exercises, there has been no protest against this rise. "In 2013 and 2014 the maximum contribution base rose by 5% with negative inflation, and I don't remember seeing any statement from anyone at that time," he said.
For his part, the general secretary of the UGT, Pepe Álvarez, has responded to the employers' association that in order to update pensions it is essential to raise the contribution bases. "The CEOE has to be aware that pensions in our country have to rise because there is a law that mandates it," a rule that they "supported and signed." "If pensions go up, the contribution bases have to go up to be able to pay them," he added. Regarding the employers' criticism of raising contributions outside the social dialogue, Álvarez recalled that the CEOE "will have the option of making proposals" in the parliamentary processing of the budget law.
To the criticism of the CEOE, the president of the Association of Autonomous Workers (ATA), Lorenzo Amor, has also criticized this "unilateral" decision of the Government. "Where is the social dialogue that the Government presumes? Last Monday there was a meeting with the Ministry of Social Security where this issue was discussed and the Government hid what 48 hours later it has made a determination," Amor denounced.
According to his calculations, the increase in the maximum bases represents an increase per worker of 1,600 euros per year. In the case of workers, the increase is greater than 350 euros.
In the situation in which the companies and the Spanish economy are, the president of ATA has criticized that there is talk of an increase in labor costs of 9%. "It is the worst news and a decision that the Government takes unilaterally that is a terrible damage to social dialogue, that devalues it and that will undoubtedly have very serious consequences for companies that create jobs," he warned.
