Unions SIPAAG and SEP Appeal Government's Public Job Classification Regulation

SIPAAG and SEP unions have filed an administrative appeal against the government's recently approved regulation on classifying and reviewing public administration job positions, citing failures in transparency, objectivity, and worker protections.

The appeal was formally submitted on Monday morning at the government's Tràmits service, backed by over 150 civil servants who signed a petition. The unions, Sindicat del Personal Adscrit a l’Administració General (SIPAAG) and Sindicat de l’Ensenyament Públic (SEP), argue the regulation—approved on 18 March—fails to address flaws identified in Batllia court rulings that nullified parts of a 2023-2024 job reclassification process. Those rulings found procedural irregularities, including bypassing the Comitè Tècnic d’Organització i Gestió (CTOG), using an external PricewaterhouseCoopers methodology without legal basis, and validating classifications without detailing methods.

SIPAAG president Salustià Chato described the regulation as a superficial fix that entrenches opacity, allowing discretionary decisions on factors like "complexity" without clear scales or scoring criteria. SEP president Sergi Esteves echoed this, stating it lacks guarantees on methodology, worker defence rights, and effective review mechanisms, potentially enabling arbitrary outcomes affecting pay and conditions. Key grievances include no prior hearing process for workers, restricted direct revision requests, and insufficient syndical or judicial oversight.

The dispute stems from the original reclassification, launched in 2023, where civil servants raised concerns from September to December. SIPAAG reported 166 members had sought or planned reviews using a provided template, a number growing amid dissatisfaction. The government limited fixes to three litigated cases without appealing the judgments, prompting union action after their proposed amendments were ignored.

Public Function Minister Marc Rossell said the government is assessing review requests case-by-case, both technically and legally. Most relate to the 2023 process, though new ones have emerged.

The unions seek full or partial annulment, suspension of the regulation, and a new framework with public, verifiable criteria. They prioritise dialogue via the CTOC but warn of court action if unresolved, emphasising civil servants' crisis-era contributions deserve a fair system.