The Central Sindical Independiente y de Funcionarios (CSIF) has requested the Socialist Parliamentary Group to support the initiative of Podemos that will be voted on this Thursday in the Plenary Session of the Congress to approve, urgently and within a month, the paid parental leave of 8 weeks for the care of children up to 8 years of age.
It is worth noting that CSIF’s legal services recently won the first firm judgment in Spain recognizing the right of a worker to enjoy this leave, as established by the European Union Directive 2019/1158, pending full transposition by the Spanish State. They point out that this judgment adds to another from last December, also from CSIF, against the City Council of Barcelona, which also recognized this right for a public worker.
On Tuesday, the PSOE showed its rejection of a consequential motion of interpellation from Podemos, urging the Government to approve, «within a month» and «urgently,» the remuneration of the entire 8-week parental care leave per child until they reach 8 years of age, and to guarantee a 16-week parental leave for single-parent families. Meanwhile, ERC, EH Bildu, and PNV announced that they will vote in favor.
From the PSOE, Deputy Valle Mellado stated on Tuesday during the motion debate that they share «the substance» but not the form. «They are proposing that the State implement a leave that will cost over 1.8 billion euros for public coffers within a month. It makes no sense or is pure propaganda for groups that supported the investiture to demand economic measures from the Government and, at the same time, fuel the far-right by posing problems day in and day out for the approval of a new budget,» she asserted.
According to CSIF, «the Socialist Group intends to regulate this issue in the administrations, with an amendment presented to the Public Service Law project, although it reduces the leave time and remuneration.» Specifically, as they specify, the Socialist amendment considers that it will have «a duration not exceeding 8 weeks, of which two will be paid.» For the union, this is «incorrect» since «the European directive stipulates a leave of 4 months, with 8 weeks paid.»
Therefore, CSIF urges the Socialist Parliamentary Group to «rectify» and «support» Podemos’ motion to comply with European regulations. «It is incomprehensible that a Government that has publicly championed the recognition of rights for working people in terms of reconciliation would restrict the enjoyment of parental leave,» they emphasized.
The motion, which is expected to be voted on this Thursday in the Lower House, also calls for ensuring a 16-week parental leave for single-parent families.
