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New bank
It is one of the most sensitive topics, if not the most sensitive.
Among the obstacles to the favorable vote of the Left Bloc on OE2021, the case of Novo Banco seems to be one of the main problems. In an interview with the RTP-1 newscast, the leader of the blockade, Catarina Martins, stated that one of the concerns of the Esquerda Bloc is “not to allow the financial system to continue playing with the money that belongs to everyone.” This leads her to assume the position that “we cannot have a parliament committing to a new injection in the Novo Banco without an investigation of what is happening”.
That is, and despite guaranteeing that she is committed to approving the Budget, the leader of the Left Bloc does not admit a new state injection into the bank led by António Ramalho.
An idea reinforced this Monday morning by Catarina Martins, in an interview with Antena 1, in which she reaffirmed the idea.
Salary increase
On the table there are two different proposals: the increase in salaries in the public service – which seems much more complicated – and the increase in the national minimum wage – which seems right.
The government has already assured that it will increase the national minimum wage, but did not say how much. The proposal should be for an increase of around 23.75 euros. However, Bloco de Esquerda requests an increase of 35.00 euros and PCP an increase to 850.00 euros. Remember that the national minimum wage is currently 635.00 euros.
The agreement for the parliamentary approval of the State Budgets has been negotiated mainly from the left.
Even so, the PCP has made several reservations. Jerónimo de Sousa, general secretary of the party, recalled that, in matters of State Budgets, the PCP “took different positions in recent years: it voted in favor, abstained, voted against in the Supplementary”. This weekend he went further, and even spoke of not giving in to blackmail: “when we say: yes, we are here so that the Budget has positive things for the people and they come to tell us: either vote, or create crisis, we do not accept this blackmail. Solve the problems of the people and put in the state budget what ails them: unemployment, poverty, low wages, degraded public services, “said the communist leader, in the Azores.
As for the increase in salaries in the public function, it is a very complicated possibility, given the economic situation aggravated by Covid-19.
Unemployment
On the issue of unemployment, Bloco de Esquerda and PCP want to go further than the Government. Although the Government wants to sanction companies that lay off and avoid layoffs from those that receive public support, the two parties intend to cover in these prohibitions the impediments to companies that obtain benefits.
António Costa highlighted the need to “protect companies to protect employment” and “protect employment to protect household income” and “protect the income of families that have fallen into unemployment.”
Health
In health, there is an agreement that comes from the State Budget for this year. 4,200 professionals are incorporated, 1,385 specialist vacancies are opened and 2,995 new health professionals will be hired.
There will also be a risk subsidy for health professionals, aimed at those who work on the front line of Covid-19, with the amount revealed this Monday: 219 euros.
Feathersoris
As in previous years, an extraordinary increase is expected, up to € 6 and € 10, according to the preliminary version of OE2021.
New social benefit
A new social benefit is proposed, a new support, in the temporary exit, to help all those who were left without social protection during the months of the pandemic.
Education
The National Federation of Teachers (FENPROF) presented four proposals to be included in next year’s budget. The union structure insisted once again on measures to regularize the teaching career, from educators to higher education teachers, on early retirement, retirements and the consequent rejuvenation of the teaching profession.
It is also requested that the working day include all non-occasional meetings, in the non-academic component of the establishment, for 35 hours per week.
The union again calls for an increase in public funding for education, proposing that in 2021 the percentage of the sector’s GDP reaches 4% and 6% at the end of the legislature.
In Science, Technology and Higher Education, the country should reach the average of the European Union at the end of the legislature, doubling the amount of funds it allocates and which, in 2019, was around 1.5% of GDP.
The strengthening of the number of operational assistants and teachers in schools is also among the Education proposals, as well as the adequate decentralization of the educational system.
Isgios
The Government has proposed the opening, next year, of an internship program in Central and Local Administration.
For the president of the State Technical Personnel Union (STE), Helena Rodrigues, the Government’s intention will mean “the return of precariousness” in the Public Administration, since the internship programs do not contemplate the effective integration of workers in the state personnel. “The Government said that this program will have more advantageous rules for interns, but the problem is that the internships are for one year and, in the end, there is no signing of an indefinite contract,” said the STE leader.
Labor law
Regarding changes in labor matters, a moratorium of 24 months (and not the 18 initially foreseen) is foreseen, so that collective agreements do not end during the current pandemic crisis. The end of the expiration of the collective agreements was one of the main demands of BE and PCP. However, the Government, in the course of the negotiations, advanced with a counterproposal towards a moratorium. Basically, this moratorium is a postponement of the expiration period.
The law on temporary contracts will also be modified, increasing the maximum number of renewals from 6 to 3, avoiding abuses by employers. In the same vein, standards will emerge to protect teleworkers.
Outsourced workers may benefit from the same collective agreements as their colleagues in the company they serve. Outsourced workers are outsourced workers who provide services in a company, despite having an employment contract with another (such as cleaning services, customer service, among others)
For workers on digital platforms, the idea is to promote job recruitment, not placing these people in the category of freelancers (it is mainly aimed at work regimes on platforms with a profile similar to Uber).
Pass or fail, is to do the math.
The competence to approve the State Budgets corresponds to the Assembly of the Republic, at the proposal of the Government.
The majority required is the absolute majority, that is, “more than half, which means 115 deputies +1, taking into account that the Assembly of the Republic has 230 deputies. The Socialist Party has 108 deputies. Therefore, it will be enough for 8 deputies from another party to vote in favor for the proposal to be approved, making a total of 116 votes in favor.
In another scenario, if 15 deputies abstain, although all the other 107 deputies vote against the State Budget, if the 108 deputies of the Socialist Party vote in favor, the proposal passes.
Research carried out by João Maldonado
