Uruguay Ministry Limits Civil Servant Reclassification Review to 10 Court Challengers

The Ministry of Public Function will reassess job classifications only for around 10 general administration civil servants who challenged their 2023-2024 reclassifications in court, following Batllia rulings that annulled the decisions for procedural failures.

The Batllia administrative court found the process invalid due to the absence of a required regulation, exclusion of the Technical Committee on Organisation and Management—which legally must propose classifications and include two union representatives—and reliance on STRATA, PwC's proprietary methodology. This denied workers and courts access to evaluation details and scores, preventing proper oversight. One ruling noted the executive's admission that the committee took no part in the process. The government chose not to appeal these firm judgments, sources say, to avoid setting unfavorable precedent.

A new regulatory framework, drafted under Batllia guidelines and negotiated with unions for roughly a month, is set for imminent approval—possibly at this Wednesday's Council of Ministers or the next, though no firm date has been confirmed. Officials confirmed it will exclude the evaluation and scoring system, despite union demands; that system will be approved separately around the same time and published through alternative channels to meet transparency requirements raised by the court.

Ministry sources have minimized the judicial setbacks, maintaining that internal protocols were followed, external consultancy ensured objectivity, and all necessary data—including for courts—was available. The rulings rejected these arguments, ruling that missing information blocked effective judicial control.

The SIPAAG union has accused the government of opacity, saying it refused to share the Batllia resolutions with worker representatives, forcing the syndicate to obtain them directly from the court. SIPAAG argues the flaws render the entire reclassification invalid, requiring a full restart with committee involvement, clear rules, and complete disclosure. The union insists annulments trigger retroactive procedures, new administrative acts, and fresh appeal windows for all affected staff. Backed by the SEP union, it is distributing claim templates to dissatisfied workers, urging them to seek a "fair, transparent, and legal" review. SIPAAG pledges to safeguard economic rights for those who advanced in good faith while prioritizing fixes for undervalued roles.

Workers remain divided: those who gained levels express anxiety over potential downgrades, while others hope for upgrades and question if the Batllia's findings undermine the full process.