An “unbearable” burden: what is after the strike at the Labour Inspectorate?

By: News Team

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An "unbearable" burden

The unions of the Labor and Social Security Inspectorate (ITSS) face on Wednesday 22 the third day of strike with the demand to modernize and provide the agency with more technical and human resources to improve both the quality of service and the conditions of its workers.

In a conversation with EFE, the inspector and representative of CCOO in the Inspection, Josetxo Gándara, denounces that the workload in the agency “touches or exceeds the bearable limit”, a situation that affects the health of officials and complicates the work of the ITSS itself.

“Who watches the watchman?” or “in the blacksmith’s house, stick knife” are some of the phrases with which Gándara, ironically, laments the inconsistency of ensuring the good working conditions of all workers at the same time that the employees of the Inspectorate feel mistreated.

The ITSS has around 3,000 personnel distributed throughout the national territory, of which approximately 2,000 have inspection tasks, to control the activity of more than 20 million members of Social Security, as well as that of pensioners.

The organization went on strike for the first time in its history on December 21 and did so again on January 25; Pending the strike next Wednesday, the unions do not rule out an indefinite strike.

Sources from the Ministry of Labor consulted by EFE indicate that, in the last three years, the ITSS budget has grown by 41.5%, from 145.8 million euros to 206.3 million and that, in addition, “a significant increase in the number of inspection personnel is being executed.”

The organizations demand compliance with the agreement reached with the ministry in July 2021, which includes a new list of jobs (RPT) and a reinforcement of the agency, although carrying out this agreement also depends on the Ministry of Finance and Public Function.

A “PERVERSE” SYSTEM

A sub-inspector of the province of Madrid attached to the National Anti-Fraud Office, who prefers not to make his name public, says in an interview with EFE that in recent years they have gone from working for complaints to also for campaigns that are designed following the information collected by an algorithm. A change that has generated an “avalanche” of work.

“I have been charged so far this year 48 files, more than days so far this year,” says this sub-inspector, who also denounces that the productivity system is “perverse”, because 30% of his salary depends on the fulfillment of objectives that often require lengthening the day up to 50 hours per week. even working on weekends.

In addition, since there is no time record in the ITSS, overtime is not rewarded.

From the Ministry of Labor remember that the work system of the inspectors, being based on objectives, works with a “flexible schedule”.

“Meeting the objectives and deadlines generates psychosocial risks,” warns this sub-inspector, who also points to the difficulties in reconciling work and family life: “A year ago I went to pick up my daughters from school in the afternoon. Now I can be working until 20:30.”

“INSTRUMENTALIZATION” OF THE ITSS

“There is a certain instrumentalization of what the Inspection achieves,” says Gándara, who criticizes the “pettiness” of the Government when it comes to strengthening the agency despite its “praises” and “flowery verb.”

The president of the Union of Labor and Social Security Inspectors, Ana Ercoreca, recalls that the second vice president and Minister of Labor, Yolanda Díaz, acknowledged that the ITSS worked beyond its means, before which she asks that it “fulfill its commitments.”

“You will have noticed a profusion of news about the ITSS,” says the sub-inspector interviewed, some news, he says, that is based on his “sweat and workload” because with the current ministerial team they are “totally overwhelmed and overloaded”, by making this a “political use” of the agency.

Ercoreca, an inspector in the province of Huesca, says that they have to travel using their private vehicle and that to communicate they use their mobile: “they call you at any time for a fatal (work) accident and you, with your car, have to go immediately.”

The unions have denounced that the Government, despite valuing their work, does not provide them with the necessary means, even more so in a context of regulatory change – such as the approval of the labor reform – and transformation of the labor market.

The sources of Labor consulted point out their “firm commitment” to the structural, organizational and technical reinforcement of the ITSS to enhance the inspection action and improve the distribution of work.

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