Andorra Officials Pressure Staff Against Union Contact Amid Disputes

Tensions are rising in Andorra's general administration, where senior officials are reportedly pressuring staff not to seek union support amid ongoing disputes, including court challenges to job reclassifications.

The Sindicat del Personal Adscrit a l'Administració General (Sipaag) has issued an internal memo highlighting these incidents, without naming individuals or specific cases. It stresses that trade union freedom is a constitutional right binding on all public authorities. The union cited recent reports of verbal instructions or de facto practices in certain departments discouraging or blocking employees from contacting unions over workplace concerns.

"Any internal directive or practice that effectively hinders contact with a union or creates fear of exercising that right is incompatible with the constitutional framework," the memo states. It references supporting legislation that protects against discrimination or retaliation for union activity.

Sipaag outlined practical steps for staff facing such pressure: ask for the specific regulation justifying the instruction, request it in writing if persistent—via email, memo, or formal order—and report details to the union, including date, department, communication method, exact wording, and witnesses if available. This approach, the union said, prevents unnecessary escalation while ensuring rigorous handling.

The memo frames union rights not as a privilege but as a constitutional safeguard enabling staff to defend themselves securely and fairly. It ends with a call for more affiliations to bolster representation, advice, and collective bargaining power.

These pressures stem partly from judicial rulings questioning job reclassifications, alongside everyday issues affecting individual employees, fueling widespread unease in the administration. Sipaag did not detail the scale or precise locations of the reported coercion.