At the beginning of March, the Supreme Court issued a ruling requiring the “forced execution of the final ruling that obliges the Government to implement the early retirement of national police officers.” The agents see their right to retire aggrieved compared to the regional and local police forces, who can bring forward the moment of ending their professional career. The text of the high court came after a demand from the Jupol union, which is planning a demonstration this coming Saturday from Puerta del Sol, in Madrid, to the Congress of Deputies.
The general secretary of the formation, Aarón Rivero, is clear: “Every day that passes, we police officers retire without a right that corresponds to us,” he states in an interview with LA RAZÓN. The leader of the organization believes that the Ministry of the Interior “does not have, nor has it had, the will” to provide this right to officials in the eight years that Fernando Grande-Marlaska has been responsible for State security. «If I had wanted to, I would have done it. “He has been forced as a result of the sentence that our legal services have obtained,” says Rivero.
The Supreme Court’s text has led the Secretary of State for Security, Aina Calvo, to call an information meeting at the beginning of the month to inform the unions that the working table for the retirement issue will begin on April 29, as this media reported. “They are strictly complying with the sentence so that we can retire like the regional and local police officers,” says the general secretary of Jupol.
There is no unity of action among the unions. The Platform for a Dignified Retirement includes the SPP, SUP and UFP, while the CEP and Jupol fight against the Interior separately. Rivero’s party maintains an open war against the department of Marlaska for what its leader considers the minister’s “continuous rudeness.”
The “number two” of the Interior, in addition to the information meeting with the Platform, called Jupol last Tuesday to explain what the work was going to be like, but 24 hours before they were informed that they were canceling the appointment and they were rescheduled directly to April 29. «This work table comes from our activity, because if we did not present the lawsuit at no time would it have reached this point. We have been with Marlaska for eight years and they only release the standards that interest them from training or the Police University Center,” he says. “This is very simple, if they have so much intention, why haven’t they done anything in eight years?”
Currently, a Mosso d’Esquadra can retire between the ages of 59 and 60, compared to the age of 65 for police officers and civil guards. Only in the case of having been active for 30 years, state agents can do so at the same age. But the offense is greater if the maximum pension money is taken into account. A police officer in Catalonia can retire earning 3,359.60 euros per month, while in the Police and the Armed Institute they do so with 2,275.19. To this is added that, currently, while they are active the police earn about 20% more monthly. Salary equalization was the germ of the birth of Jusapol in 2017, from which Jupol and Jucil, the branch of Benemérita, emanate.
The first step of the Interior work table will be to stipulate a calendar. «If there is a will, it should be there before the end of the year. If not, it can be extended sine die. “They are specialists in paralyzing rules and sentences when they are mandatory,” Rivero elaborates, pointing out that Jupol has “a lot of advanced work” in the matter because “we have been with this since 2019. If they let us lead the negotiation, it will be much easier and faster.” The Government’s intention, in his opinion, will be to “take as many steps as the better.” The day that the dignified retirement is approved will be a milestone in the National Police, and it will be thanks to the legal services of Jupol, and that is something that they will not be very happy about. Another option is for it to be approved close to the general elections. “That would be another trick.”
The union has called for a demonstration next Saturday in the heart of Madrid. Delegates will attend “from all the provinces.” The idea of the union leadership is to reach the doors of the Congress of Deputies. «We will see where the fences put us, as we are getting further and further away. “There should be no problem on Saturday.”