The Great National Distribution Companies Association, alongside several trade unions, reached a landmark agreement with major department stores in Spain, including El Corte Inglés, Carrefour, Ikea and others. The deal, framed within the broader negotiations affecting Spain’s largest retail employers, covers roughly 260,000 workers and secures a 17% wage increase spread over four years.
Reports from Fetico, the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions, indicate that the negotiated package counts on the support of CCOO, Valorian, and UGT around the social table. Of the total 17% salary uplift, 14% is structured as a steady year-on-year increase, while the remaining 3% is delivered as a single payment.
Disbursements are scheduled to begin in 2023 with a 4.5% raise, followed by another 4.5% in 2024, then 3% in 2025 and 2% in 2026. As stated by Antonio Pérez, Fetico’s general secretary, the outcome ensures that employees at large stores will earn at least €18,000 annually by the contract’s end. “This was our goal and we achieved it,” Pérez remarked.
Dietary components and adjustments to Sundays and holidays
Another element of the agreement involves expanding certain salary components, including allowances and stock market-related benefits. Holiday pay rises by 29% to €450, and remote work provisions increase by 40% up to €35.
Regarding working days, a decision was made to reduce the rate of Sundays and holidays in the overall schedule. The result positions the retail sector in Spain as a model for cutting Sunday work and holiday burdens, while seeking to preserve staffing needs and service levels.
Specifically, 50% of the adjustments target openings across 15 Sundays (two Sundays removed), 40% cover 16 openings and up to 25, 30% address general openings, and 22 Sundays in total will be eliminated. An extra free Saturday is introduced alongside the Sunday holiday.
“This industry is demonstrating a decisive move away from extensive Sunday work, which should support a rise in part-time opportunities and help alleviate a long-standing issue within the country’s labor system,” Pérez explained.
Improved work-life reconciliation
The agreement also strengthens work-life reconciliation provisions. Eight hours of leave are broadened to support dependents or individuals over 70 during medical emergencies, and the package expands the number of free Saturdays and Sundays from six to nine per year.
Additionally, commitments on contract equality, workplace safety, and support for women who are victims of gender-based violence are addressed, with €750 designated for relocation assistance when transfers are required.
Looking ahead, the industry evolution observatory will monitor progress and ensure that 90% of positions are permanent and that staffing levels match the sector’s ongoing needs in the coming years.
“This agreement stands as a model for the sector, recognizing work of equal value and delivering a historic rise in compensation. It positions retail as a benchmark for the country’s economy,” Pérez concluded.