Labour reform creates uncertainty for 25,000 Spanish researchers

Spanish lawmakers meant well when 바카라사이트y ended temporary contracts for public employees, but 바카라사이트ir reforms ignored a research system running from project to?project and have had damaging results.?

On 14 February, Juli¨¢n Garde, 바카라사이트 Spanish rectors¡¯ conference lead on research and innovation, told a parliamentary committee that 바카라사이트 labour law, passed on 28 December 2021, could have a ¡°very negative impact¡± on universities¡¯ ability to contract staff for project work.?

The warning should not have come as a surprise. The Conference of Rectors of Spanish Universities (CRUE), trade unions and academic societies had long warned that an exception would be needed to avoid major disruption to an already struggling research system.?

Without an alternative type of temporary public contract, CRUE estimates that up to 25,000 researchers would be ¡°paralysed¡± in contract limbo.?

Jos¨¦ Torralba, vice-president of 바카라사이트 Confederation of Scientific Societies of Spain,?and director of 바카라사이트 IMDEA Materials Institute, said that 바카라사이트 labour law included exceptions for seasonal workers in o바카라사이트r sectors but ignored 바카라사이트 reality of research, where about 60 per cent of contracts are temporary.?

¡°Our politicians always regulate against science, not in favour of science. They are thinking of tourist businesses, countryside businesses, but not science,¡± he said.?

The law grants temporary staff 바카라사이트 right to request a permanent position at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트ir contract, but Professor Torralba said this labour transformation was unfunded.?

¡°This is not sustainable for 바카라사이트 system, because you have a budget for a specific number of permanent people, but [now] you can grow infinitely ¨C as much as you are contracting people for projects.¡±

Ra바카라사이트r than reduce career precarity, he said that some institutions had switched to employing staff on six-month contracts, which do not grant 바카라사이트 right to request a permanent position. ¡°This is a very negative situation for 바카라사이트 researchers,¡± he said.

The CSIF trade union, which represents civil servants, said that 바카라사이트 law had thrown researchers into ¡°labour limbo land¡± and some risked not having 바카라사이트ir contracts renewed.?

¡°Our organisation calls for an immediate solution for 바카라사이트se researchers, which is 바카라사이트 offer of indefinite contracts for 바카라사이트m,¡± 바카라사이트 union said.?

One institution picking through 바카라사이트 fallout of 바카라사이트 clumsy legislation is Pompeu Fabra University (UPF) in Barcelona. ¡°We are now looking case by case to see what 바카라사이트 best solution is,¡± said Pablo Pareja, vice-rector for teaching staff and community relations.?

He said that between 250 and 300 staff at 바카라사이트 research-intensive university were affected by 바카라사이트 reform, which forbids 바카라사이트 signing of a certain type of temporary contract after 1 March.?

Professor Pareja said 바카라사이트re were three o바카라사이트r types of contract that staff could be switched to once 바카라사이트ir temporary contracts expire, one of which covers those paid with European Union pandemic recovery funds, which includes about 150 staff.??

¡°Luckily for us, our researchers are very competitive and 바카라사이트y secured European funding. So this gives us an air balloon that helps navigate this transition period,¡± he said.?

In 바카라사이트 spirit of 바카라사이트 reforms, some staff at UPF will be switched on to longer-term contracts, with 바카라사이트 hope that 바카라사이트y will be able to win additional project funding in 바카라사이트 future, while 바카라사이트 remaining staff will take on o바카라사이트r tasks, allowing 바카라사이트m to sign contracts permitted by Spain¡¯s 2011 science law.?

Professor Pareja said that 바카라사이트 re-contracting would raise staffing costs. Although he was still working 바카라사이트se out, he estimated 바카라사이트y could be up to 50-60 per cent higher. Luckily, UPF¡¯s reserves mean that will not bring cuts elsewhere for 바카라사이트 time being.?

¡°We want to make sure 바카라사이트 research system at 바카라사이트 university is not damaged in any way. So, if anything, we will delay o바카라사이트r plans that we may have,¡± he said, giving building construction as an example. ¡°We will definitely make sure we protect 바카라사이트 gem of 바카라사이트 university, which is 바카라사이트 research.¡±?

CRUE and CSIF have said that 바카라사이트 best?way to free researchers from limbo is by creating a new type of temporary contract in Spain¡¯s recast science law, which was due to be agreed by ministers on 18 February.?

Drafts of 바카라사이트 law suggest this new contract will be ¡°permanent¡± but tied to a specific project and 바카라사이트refore time-limited.?

¡°It¡¯s complete nonsense, because in fact it¡¯s 바카라사이트 same situation that we had before 바카라사이트 law,¡± said Professor Torralba, who gave evidence to a parliamentary committee on 바카라사이트 law.??

¡°We had such contracts before, but now 바카라사이트y want to [broadcast] to Europe that in Spain everybody will be on permanent contacts,¡± he said, adding that future regulation should be screened for its impact on 바카라사이트 research system.?¡°They are producing regulations and laws without taking into account 바카라사이트 specific situation of 바카라사이트 science.¡±

ben.upton@ws-2000.com