Sant Julià de Lòria Approves Salary Grid to Retain Staff Amid Departures

Sant Julià de Lòria's parish council has approved a revised salary grid for administration workers to retain existing staff and draw in new hires facing recruitment hurdles. The council passed the measure on Thursday with eight votes in favour and three abstentions from opposition members.

Cònsol Major Cerni Cairat said the parish faces difficulties filling certain roles, with job postings drawing few candidates because pay in some categories lags behind other communes. He called the new structure a "regressive" grid, offering bigger raises to lower salary bands in each category to boost entry-level pay, while top earners receive smaller adjustments. The changes address recent rules like minimum wage increases and aim to fill gaps in operational and senior positions. Cairat said the update represents roughly 4.5% of the annual personnel budget—manageable and well below 10% hikes seen in other public administrations.

Cònsol Menor Sofia Cortesao described the parish as a "bridge" for workers who gain experience locally before leaving for higher-paying jobs elsewhere.

Opposition conseller Josep Majoral, who abstained, pegged the personnel budget rise at about €300,000 annually—a notable sum despite being affordable. He voiced surprise over revising the traffic department's pay rules just six months after their initial approval, due to flaws that failed to meet regulations and bred "concern" and "uncertainty." Majoral also noted limited consultation ahead of the vote.

Cairat admitted mistakes in parts of the earlier traffic regulation, now fixed following checks by intervention services, legal experts, and outside consultants. Agents move from the bottom pay level to a mid-low band, gaining a €96 monthly training supplement for non-sworn staff on comparable tasks. The 45-minute on-call response rule shifts to phone or video availability.

The grid and traffic changes start in August, with total yearly costs including CASS contributions at €328,279. Opposition backed retention goals but flagged risks of growing gaps between pay bands.