CUT and State Unions Urge La Moneda: Demand Real Salary Adjustment and Tight Negotiation Calendar Ahead of Runoff

Original article: CUT y gremios estatales apuran a La Moneda: quieren reajuste real y calendario acotado antes del balotaje

As the presidential runoff approaches alongside the closing of Congress, the Public Sector Table—led by the Central Unitaria de Trabajadores (CUT) and 16 organizations—commenced salary adjustment negotiations on Thursday for over 900,000 state workers. The meeting with Treasury Minister Nicolás Grau and Labor Minister Giorgio Boccardo highlighted a pressing demand from unions: discussions must be expedited, and an agreement must be reached before the second round of voting.

The negotiation proposal submitted on November 26 includes a range of economic and labor demands that leaders describe as critical for the last year of President Gabriel Boric’s administration. At the core is the request for a real salary adjustment of 2% for the period from December 2025 to November 2026, applicable to all state employment regimes, including contracted workers, municipalities, state universities, and Local Education Services (SLEP).

In addition, the organizations demand universal coverage for bonuses, allowances, and benefits, eliminating exclusions that they believe unfairly affect professionals under special laws and the municipal sector. The document further calls for progress on outstanding commitments in mental health, childcare, job security, and the implementation of a 40-hour workweek in the public sector.

«We Want to Negotiate Before the Presidential Elections»

However, the tension with La Moneda centers around deadlines. Unions have warned that negotiations must be resolved before December 15—one day after the second round set for December 14—while the government has yet to provide a satisfactory schedule.

According to Diario U. de Chile, following the meeting, Laura San Martín, coordinator of the Public Sector Table, expressed concerns and criticisms regarding the proposed timelines from the government.

«We have an issue with the negotiation schedule and are awaiting a new proposal from the government this afternoon. We want to negotiate before the presidential elections. While we cannot influence Congress, we can impact this type of negotiation,» she stated.

«We Are Ready to Negotiate Every Day»

Despite this, she made it clear that the table is fully committed to accelerating the process.

«We are ready to negotiate every day, 24 hours if possible, but the key is to achieve a good agreement for all workers,» she emphasized, clarifying that their petition does not include radical changes, but rather «issues that have lingered from previous adjustments.»

Gabriela Farías, CUT vice president and head of the public sector, highlighted the uniqueness of this negotiation and the political context in which it is taking place.

«This is not just any negotiation. This is the last negotiation of this government. We do not yet know the political direction of the incoming administration, but we are aware that we have a Parliament that will be challenging to convince,» she stated to the cited media outlet.

Farías explained that the closure of Congress on December 17 imposes a race against time to carry out the process.

«We are trying to expedite this negotiation as much as possible so that the most critical issues for workers can be addressed at times that are most beneficial for us,» she asserted.

Regarding priorities, she stated clearly: «First and foremost, we need to ensure that salaries and allowances are fully secured.»

She also confirmed their expectation to review the new proposal from the government to assess its willingness to adjust the calendar.

In light of these pressures, Minister Nicolás Grau has previously expressed the Executive’s willingness to quickly reach an understanding and explore alternatives to enhance the scheduling of the process.

Nonetheless, government projections indicate that the adjustment proposal is unlikely to enter Congress before January, which is after the runoff election. This scenario, combined with the legislative recess, intensifies the unions’ concerns as they seek concrete assurances in the coming hours.

The Public Sector Table is eager to review the new calendar proposal that the government committed to send, in negotiations that they warn will be crucial for the immediate future of nearly one million public officials.