Negotiations start on improvement of part-time work

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In July 1998, negotiations started between the Spanish Government and trade unions on improving the conditions for part-time employment, which is at present seriously discriminated against in comparison with full-time employment.

The Ministry of Labour and the CC.OO and UGT trade union confederations started negotiations in July 1998 over improving the conditions for part-time employment contracts. The negotiations fall within the framework of the country's National Action Plan for employment (based on the EU Employment Guidelines for 1998) and should incorporate the May 1997 European framework agreement on part-time work signed by the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), the Union of Industrial and Employers' Confederations of Europe (UNICE) and the European Centre of Enterprises with Public Participation and of Enterprises of General Economic Interest (CEEP) (EU9706131F). This agreement - stating the principles that part-time employment should be voluntary and should not be discriminated against in comparison with full-time contracts - was implemented by an EU Directive in December 1997 (EU9712175N).

At the moment, part-time employment in Spain affects less than 1 million workers, 75% of whom are women, and it represents only 8% of the working population (ES9703203F). This is far less than the European average of 16% and especially that of countries such as the Netherlands (32%), the United Kingdom (25%) and Sweden (25%). Part-time employment in Spain is less well paid and enjoys less social protection than full-time employment - the hourly pay rate of a part-time worker is only 57% of that of a full-time worker. Part-time employment in Spain also shows a far higher rate of temporary employment than the European average: 60% compared with 17%. As for social protection, the main problem is that part-time workers find it difficult to obtain a pension based on contributions, which currently requires workers to contribute for a period of 15 years.

The negotiations seek to improve the conditions of part-time contracts in three ways:

• improving social protection by producing "equivalence tables" with the periods of contribution and non-contribution, to prevent discrimination against part-time workers;

• making part-time employment more secure by reducing temporary employment; and

• promoting part-time employment as a voluntary option to help reduce discrimination against part-time workers.

However, hardly had the negotiations begun when the first disputes arose. The CEOE employers' organisation has already announced that it will oppose the modernisation of part-time contracts if this means an increase in labour costs for companies. It feels that improving social benefits should not mean increasing contributions by companies. On the other hand, the CEOE wants the new form of part-time contract to be flexible, especially with regard to working time and periods of employment.