New collective bargaining negotiations set the longest official daily working hours in 12 years

Salary increases stay the same as last year: 0.56%

MADRID -- Negotiations between unions and the employers' collectives have not recovered since the introduction of controversial new labour laws by the PP government. Official statistics show that there were 1,319 agreements signed over the first nine months of the year, only 100 more than last year and the worst since the crisis began. One of the principal inducements aimed at renewing the contracts was the so-called 'ultra-activity' clause in the law that kept current existing but outdated contracts, until a new one had been negotiated. Experts point out that the daily working hours rose by 30 annual hours for 2014, or 1,756 hours, compared to the same period last year, and the longest since 2002. Negotiations centred on new contracts starting on January 1, 2015, have fixed the annual working hours at 1,825, according to the Ministry of Employment. The Autonomous Communities with the longest work day:

New collective bargaining negotiations set the longest official daily working hours in 12 years

MADRID -- Negotiations between unions and the employers have not recovered their rhythm since the controversial new labour laws introduced by the PP government. Official statistics show that there were 1,319 agreements signed over the first nine months of the year, only 100 more than last year, the worst since the crisis began. One of the principal inducements aimed at renewing the contracts was the so-called 'ultraactivity' clause in the law that kept going contracts that had run out, until a new one had been agreed. Nevertheless, experts agree point out are the daily working hours that have been agreed so far. These rose by 30 annual hours for 2014, or 1,756 hours, compared to the same peiod last year, and the longest since 2002. Negotiations with salaried personnel unions, with new contracts starting on January 1, 2015, have fixed the annual working hours at 1,825, according to Ministry of Employment. The Autonomous Communities with the longest work day are:

Hospital staff say ‘anti-Ebola’ suits did not meet specifications

MADRID --  Staff at the Carlos III hospital, where the only specifically Ebola unit in the country exists and where the two Spanish missionaries died, this week accused the health authorities of permitting the use of the special suits used at the unit did not meet the security specifications they need. According to staff representatives, regulations, referring to cases such as these should be at Level 4, that is, completely impermeable and autonomous breathing facilities. They say that the suits they were issued were at Level 2. In response, the hospital’s spokesperson, Yolanda Fuentes, denies that security measures were not met. “The suits meet procedural requirements perfectly, as well as the protective measures required for this illness,” she said. As can be seen in the image above, supplied by hospital staff, the suit has no independent breathing apparatus, the gloves are latex, tied on with adhesive tape