Telefónica España and unions sign agreement

• A deal has been hammered out between Telefónica and the UGT (General Union of Workers) and the  CCOO (Workers Commissions)
• Telefonica claims it will provide stability for more than 21,000 employees
• Agreement introduces new concepts such as flex-work, digital disconnection and advances in work and family life support

Telefónica España and its major trade unions, the UGT and CCOO have signed a Collective Bargaining Agreement that Telefonica claims provides a framework of stability to over 21,000 employees from Telefónica España, Telefónica Móviles España and Telefónica Soluciones de Informática y Comunicaciones.

The agreement will be valid for three years, including the current one, and may be extended for another year after that. It establishes a salary review of 1.5% per year and takes a further step towards the homogenisation of conditions for the employees of the three legal entities.

Telefonica says a major feature of the agreement is an enhanced training policy to ensure the company has the internal skills it will need to take it into the 5G future. A key aspect will be to provide new technological skills that will make employees more versatile, it says, as well as provide them with a greater capacity to adapt to the current work environment. 

More than 6,000 employees are expected to participate in a  reskilling programmes and there will be open skill improvement programmes for all company employees.

Telefónica says training will help it evolve towards a more digital company, more flexible and more prepared for future challenges through improved employability, position reclassifications and work and family life ‘reconciliation’, including pioneering measures such as adapting the working day, the right to digital disconnection and the implementation of new forms of work such as flex-work.

It also establishes as an objective equal treatment and opportunities between women and men through a new Equality Plan that implies the same opportunities for access to training, employment and promotions.

The text includes a policy to attract new talent and youth employment through the Talentum scholarship programme, among others, and thus incorporate new profiles in line with new professional needs.

Telefonica also undertakes to incorporate two new jobs for each person who retires due to forced retirement. Out of these, at least half will be intended for people under 35  from both university and vocational training establishments.