Workers at Es Pinaret demand hazard pay after a seven-year wait

PalmAround one hundred workers from the s'Estel Socio-educational Institute Foundation, which manages the Es Pinaret socio-educational center for minors in Mallorca, gathered this Tuesday in front of the center's management offices to demand payment of the hazardous and arduous work supplement, with a maximum amount of up to 385 euros per month. The action, supported by the STEI Intersindical union, comes after years of administrative gridlock and negotiations that have thus far yielded no satisfactory results. According to union representatives, the supplement has been planned for years but has never been implemented. Mateu Moyà, head of the public sector division of STEI, recalls that the issue was first raised in 2019, but "it came to nothing because no one on the committee dared to request its implementation for economic reasons." Subsequently, under the coalition government, negotiations were "much more difficult and encountered resistance from the administration, which in many cases refused to even negotiate the supplement." “We took them to the inspection,” Moyà recalls. With the change of government, he says, the situation has improved: “We were told that the issue was pending and that it would be analyzed,” and in December 2024 the union presented a new proposal that allowed for more advanced negotiations to begin. Initially, the Administration offered up to 250 euros, but now an amount of up to 385 euros has been reached.

Negotiations are complicated by the fact that some staff members are already at the maximum pay allowed by the public sector wage agreement, which prevents adding the supplement without exceeding the established salary limits. This situation affects approximately 20% of the workforce, including Educational Technical Assistants (ATEs), healthcare and educational technicians, and some administrative staff. For these cases, the union has proposed a bonus linked to specific functions, which would allow any amount exceeding the salary limit to be excluded from the maximum calculation. The Administration has agreed to explore this option, and the Department of Families considers it feasible. The workers who could receive the supplement include staff who work directly with minors, both within the center and in group homes, therapeutic units, or with abused children. The main obstacle is the Administration's opposition to administrative staff working in annexes to Es Pinaret receiving it. STEI, in an effort to keep negotiations alive, has proposed that these workers receive 20% of the maximum supplement (77 euros).

The debate surrounding the supplement is not limited to Es Pinaret. At IES Can Balo, the school that serves minors in a closed facility, staff have received a similar supplement since the 2024-2025 academic year for their specific duties with minors in that setting. In prisons, administrative staff, drivers, and telephone operators also receive this payment. This precedent strengthens the demands of the Es Pinaret workers and demonstrates that, if the supplement were not also applied to administrative staff, it would be an exception in Spain.

Work context: overload and precariousness

The working conditions at the Es Pinaret socio-educational center for minors are characterized by high staff turnover and a shortage of personnel, leading to a continuous workload. In 2024, more than 200 voluntary resignations were recorded, and this year many people remain on medical leave due to stress and anxiety. This combination of resignations and unfilled positions forces many educators and professionals to work double shifts or take on additional duties, with a direct impact on their health and motivation. Workers must cope with tense and aggressive situations, including minors with difficult behavior and internal conflicts, often without sufficient human resources or adequate support. Working conditions are considered very demanding and generate significant emotional strain, affecting both the staff and the quality of socio-educational care provided to the minors. Furthermore, the staff reports a lack of financial recognition. Although the hazard pay supplement is stipulated in the collective agreement, its implementation has been pending for years, while other groups with similar functions, such as staff at Can Balo prison or penitentiary centers, do receive it. This inequality reinforces the perception of job insecurity and leads many workers to feel that their effort and responsibility are not adequately recognized.