The Confederation of the Third Sector of Catalonia denounces underfunding
The Confederation of the Third Sector of Catalonia has called the 5% increase in fees for the portfolio of premium services included in the 2024 budget unacceptable. According to the Confederation, this increase condemns the 3,000 entities, the 1.9 million of users and the 103,100 workers in the third sector in underfinancing.
From the Confederation, it is claimed that the third sector has been underfunded for 15 years. This situation has been aggravated by the increase in the CPI and energy and food cost overruns. According to the Confederation’s figures, the total cost overrun amounts to 281.5 million euros, which has caused one in four entities to close the financial year in the negative (https://www.softcatala.org/resum- of-texts-in-catalan/).
The increase in fees does not allow equalization of wages
The Confederation warns that the 5% increase contemplated in the 2024 budgets does not allow the equalization of salaries of premium.cat third sector workers with public service workers. According to the Confederation, this situation amounts to discrimination against female workers in the third sector, as they earn on average 32% less than their counterparts in the education and health sectors.
The Confederation demands that salary increases be achievable for all entities in the third sector and that rates be adjusted accordingly.
Difficulties in finding professional profiles
The Confederation complains that the salary grievance situation means that the third sector has serious difficulties in finding professional profiles such as psychologists and nurses, among others. This wage discrimination and unfavorable working conditions are factors that make it difficult to recruit qualified professionals.
Claims and proposals
The Confederation urges the Government and the political parties signing the 2024 budgets to allocate an extraordinary budget item of 75 million euros for wages, with the aim of gradually achieving wage equalization. They also ask that the extraordinary budget items be calendered to make this equalization effective.
In addition, the Confederation demands that work continue on the cost study process for the construction of a Social Services System of its own in Catalonia. They also call for an update of the portfolio of premium.cats services to adjust to the changing reality and to have the necessary administrative flexibility to adapt to people’s needs and new intervention models ( https://www.softcatala.org/resum-de-textos-en-catala/).
The Confederation of the Third Sector of Catalonia demands that the necessary measures be taken to guarantee adequate funding and improve the working conditions of professionals in the third sector.
