UGT general secretary, Pepe AlvarezAt an informative breakfast last Thursday, he stated that he had several proposals for the meeting called by Labor Minister Yolanda Díaz next week in the framework of new negotiations on unemployment benefit reform.
After the decree reforming unemployment benefits was rejected in Las Cortes, Allowance for citizens over 52 years of ageDíaz gathers the table for social dialogue Increasing the Minimum Interprofessional Wage by 2024, eventually deciding on a 5% increase. This figure represents an increase in 14 payments, i.e. a total of 54 euros per month. 756 euros per year. Unemployment benefits negotiations will be held next week.
“We want to see if there are new elements, whether they are just tweaks or background elements,” Álvarez said before the meeting, where he also announced that he would recommend maintaining the standards. 125% overpayment to Social Security for these sensors over 52 years old. This situation will continue after the repeal of the decree that foresees the gradual reduction of pension contributions until it remains at 105 percent in 2027.
Likewise, he announced that UGT would make an offer to the unemployed people receiving salaries at that meeting. Allowance for citizens over 52 years of age For those who can find a full-time job, their social contributions can be covered up to 125%, ensuring that working does not impose a cost on their retirement rights.
Changes to IPREM for subsidy beneficiaries over 52 years of age
In the decree on unemployment benefits proposed by the government, which was not finally approved in the Cortes due to the lack of support from Podemos, subsidies Their amount will be increased by increasing their percentage in IPREM for unemployment, the scale on which they are calculated. However, this has not been changed for the subsidy for people over 52 years of age. 80% of IPREM. Thus, those who benefit from this aid continue to receive it. 480 euros per month.
The amendment that the UGT proposed to bring to the negotiating table with the Government represented a radical change for IPREM. According to Álvarez, this scale “has been almost frozen for years and affects the amount of and access to social income, including unemployment benefits.”
Current IPREM in the opinion of the union (amount of 8,400 euros per year) The poverty threshold index (rising to 10,088 euros per year) should be eliminated and replaced.
Therefore, if we calculate the subsidy for people over 52 based on 80% of IPREM, the beneficiaries 480 euros per month, However, if instead of using this scale we calculated it according to the poverty threshold index (based on 80%), the amount of aid would be approximately: 575 euros per month.
This is an increase of almost 100 euros per month available to the unemployed.