The government has reached what appears to be a significant agreement with two of the three most representative unions in the civil service, framing the 2023 public employment offer. The Ministry of Finance and Civil Service intends to announce a public employment plan that increases vacancies in the General Administration of the State (AGE) by around twenty percent compared with the previous year, according to multiple union sources consulted. This anticipated rise is poised to push the total number of job openings beyond 30,000, alongside ongoing efforts to reorganize and consolidate roles within state security forces and institutions, with an emphasis on ensuring continuity and stability in public service delivery.
Negotiators led by Minister María Jesús Montero are providing updates on the new public employment offer in a controlled, staggered manner to the central offices. The unions with the most representative power among civil servants, namely CSIF, CCOO, and UGT, have not yet received official confirmation of the exact figure the government is expected to present to the Cabinet on Tuesday. In response, CCOO decided not to sign the preliminary agreement for the OEP, while two other unions have conveyed similar reservations. This cautious stance reflects a broader pattern of careful verification before formal endorsement among major public sector bodies.
Following several hours of discussions that began in the morning, the Government signaling suggests that the 2023 OEP negotiations within the General Administration of the State are nearing closure. The official projection indicates roughly a 20% increase in the number of places compared to 2022. The previous year’s total for AGE, used as a reference, shows 29,578 posts, with 15,880 new entry positions and 9,591 internal promotions. When the 20% uplift is calculated, the AGE portion of the offer would approach 30,000 places in total, underscoring a strategic objective to inject greater stability into public service staffing. An independent royal decree is anticipated to formalize these calls for stability across the central administration, as noted by observers and official briefings alike.
Officials emphasized that the agreement includes a commitment to address urgent staffing needs by issuing up to 2,000 site-specific calls to cover essential administrative functions and social security duties. The objective is to maintain adequate public service provision through temporary or transitional personnel while a longer-term career civil service framework is prepared. This approach aligns with ongoing priorities to secure continuity in public service delivery and reduce gaps in critical administrative capacity, especially in areas fundamental to citizen access to services.
Analysts and union representatives point to the broader implications for public employment policy, including how the OEP shapes career paths, internal mobility, and the distribution of opportunities across AGE and allied agencies. The current discussions signal a broader governmental focus on strengthening core public functions, aligning workforce planning with fiscal constraints, and supporting stability within the civil service workforce. The pending Cabinet decision will likely crystallize these priorities into concrete numbers and distributions, with follow-up mechanisms to monitor implementation and impact over the coming months. In parallel, unions and government teams are expected to publish more granular details about the allocation by sector, the timing of recruitments, and the criteria for promotions and competitive examinations. The overarching goal remains to ensure that public services remain accessible and responsive to citizens while maintaining prudent governance and financial stewardship for the state assets and its institutions.
As these developments unfold, observers remind readers that public employment policy is a dynamic process shaped by negotiations among ministries, unions, and the political leadership. The language used in official communications emphasizes collaboration, transparency, and the shared aim of reinforcing the public administration’s ability to deliver essential services. The evolving OEP package, including the 2023 plan, illustrates how strategic staffing decisions can affect daily life for civil servants and the people they serve, from administrative processing to security-related duties. Although final confirmations awaited for the exact numbers, the trajectory outlined by current briefings points toward a more robust and stable public sector workforce in the coming year, reflecting the government’s commitment to orderly growth and continuity across AGE and its affiliated bodies. The situation remains fluid as Cabinet deliberations proceed and unions finalize their positions with a view to the best possible outcome for public service effectiveness and job security for civil servants. (Source: union briefings and official statements.)