Congress this week unlocked the reform to allow alternative mutualists a gateway to the RETA (Special Regime for Self-Employed Workers) and to be able to join the Social Security contribution and benefits system.
The initiative, a bill promoted by the PSOE following the demand conveyed by thousands of mutualists, was approved in committee and the groups scheduled next May 20 for its vote in the Labor Committee.
What changes have been introduced?
All of them, proposals put forward by the PSOE, hand in hand with the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migrations, after prior dialogue with the groups.
No time limits. The gateway would be open to mutual members who joined the mutual after 2013 or the requirement to have been registered until 2022 would be dropped.
Coefficient. The coefficient to be applied when converting the capital accumulated by mutual members into the equivalent of Social Security contributions is set at 0.77. This coefficient is applied to the equivalent minimum contribution base to deduct those contingencies from which the mutual member has not benefited by being in another system. The initiative set it between the range of 0.67 and 0.87.
1 to 1 but little. To those mutual members over 55 years old in 2025, the demanded 1 to 1 rule will be applied, but only for the purpose of calculating the coefficient that applies to the regulatory base of their pension (and thus calculate its amount). Each full month of registration and contribution in the mutual society will be counted as a full month of registration in the RETA, in order to facilitate the recognition of a pension.
Recognition of Contribution Years. It is permitted to recognize contribution years for former mutual members who lost their contributions upon leaving the system before its transformation into a capitalization system and do not reach 15 years of contribution in Social Security. The agreements they sign may recognize up to five additional contribution years.
Equalization of fees (or benefits). The initiative raised the amount of benefits to be paid by mutual societies or the amount of fees to be paid by mutual members from 60% to 80% in order to try to equalize both systems. Now the committee sets this percentage at 100%.
That is to say, mutual societies will have to pay in their pensions the equivalent of the minimum Social Security pension (or equivalent by contribution bracket if it is higher) or, where appropriate, demand a contribution equivalent to what would correspond to them in the contribution system based on real income of the RETA.
End of alternativity in 2028. The end of alternativity is delayed by one year, with the Government's commitment to present before this date a study that analyzes this regime, considering the number of people covered by the gateway, the impact of the real income contribution system and the equalization of benefits.
What questions remain up in the air?
The retirees. The walkway remains closed to mutual members already retired (including them is a claim made by, for example, Sumar) and those who have contributed 15 years to Social Security and, therefore, already have the right to receive a public pension recognized.
Neutral taxation. One of the demands, for example, of the PP, which seeks to ensure in the law that mutual members, when recovering the capital accumulated for their transfer to Social Security, do not have to account to the Treasury.
Transfer when due. Mutual societies are pursuing the transfer of funds when the right to the benefit is generated to avoid an early liquidation of investments, something that could affect their profitability, they warn.
And now what?
The groups have until next May 20 to rush their negotiations. That day it is planned to vote on the initiative in the Congress Labor Commission, along with the rest of the amendments that remain 'alive'.
The move to the committee stage does not prejudge any position, as in that vote only the PSOE voted in favor. The rest of the groups decided to abstain to allow the proposal to be unblocked, pending verification of the outstanding details.