UGT has proposed that the next Agreement for Employment and Collective Bargaining (AENC) include a minimum salary increase of 4% for each of the years in the 2026-2028 period, after annual inflation remained at 3.2% in May, according to data released this Thursday by the National Statistics Institute (INE).
The union has indicated that collective agreements with economic effects in 2026 show an average salary increase of 3% as of May. However, it has stressed that agreements signed during 2026 with economic effects in the same year raise this increase to 4%, above the average accumulated inflation as of May, which was 2.9%.
According to UGT, these figures show that collective bargaining is already adopting the guidelines advocated by the organization for the next AENC and that it is helping to maintain the purchasing power of salaries.
For this reason, it has argued that the future agreement should include a minimum reference for salary increases of 4% annually, accompanied by formulas that allow for additional increases of up to 3% in those sectors or companies where there is a significant difference between collective agreement wages and the average wage in the economy.
Likewise, the union has considered it "essential to consolidate a path of sufficient wage growth" to protect and improve the purchasing power of workers and ensure that productivity gains and economic growth translate into a real improvement in their living conditions.
Minimum Wage Review
On the other hand, UGT has called for continued strengthening of the purchasing power of low-income workers through new increases in the Interprofessional Minimum Wage (SMI) that allow progress towards the goal of setting it at 60% of the average wage.
In this regard, it recalled that the revaluation of the SMI approved for 2026 was 3.1%, while inflation stood at 3.2% in May, marking three consecutive months at that level.
Therefore, it has pointed out that the provisions of Article 27 of the Workers' Statute, which contemplates a semi-annual review when inflation forecasts used to set the minimum wage are not met, must be taken into account.
Housing and Energy Taxation
UGT has also warned that an increasing part of salary increases is being absorbed by the rising cost of housing, both for purchase and rent, and has called for the effective application of the measures planned for tense areas, as well as the expansion of the public stock of affordable housing.
In addition, it has warned that the end of tax cuts on electricity and fuels could cause new inflationary pressures in the coming months, with a special impact on the most vulnerable households.