The Ministry of the Interior, which heads Fernando Grande-Marlaska, has devised a bizarre plan to alleviate the lack of civil guards. It's very simple: those agents who give up enjoying their vacations on summer shifts (between June 15 and September 15) and who are selected (this is key) would receive a financial compensation of 1,188 euros (raw amount).
This is a pilot project, which arrived “without prior notice”, and that would be implemented this year. The reason for this abrupt plan? The same as always, the lack of agents and, specifically, of civil guards in training, as they have even recognized from the General Directorate of the Civil Guard itself.
If we take into account that the civil guards are already making their summer vacation requests at this time, this improvised measure only contributes to “further penalize their work-life balance”. This is what they denounce from the Unified Association of Civil Guards (AUGC), but not before pointing out that this does not solve the serious underlying problem of the lack of personnel in all the Units of the Armed Institute and that it is a faithful reflection of the chaotic personnel policy that prevails in the General Directorate.
And what does this new plan consist of?
The Operations Command will designate those Commands located in both coastal areas and inland areas of the Peninsula that experience an increase in population or criminal activity during the summer months. Subsequently, the heads of these Commands will be the ones who determine in which Units this plan will be applied, and always taking into account that they can only be limited to the areas of Citizen Security, Traffic and Judicial Police.
For the implementation of this improvised initiative, some key dates have been developed, yet to be detailed given the improvised nature of the plan:
- Before April 28, Corps Units record vacation requests for summer shifts in the human resources application.
- Between April 29 and May 6, vacations are authorized in summer shifts.
- Between May 7 and May 14and once vacations are authorized, the personnel assigned to Units for which the possibility is available, make the resignation request.
- Between May 15 and 21, the staff appointment (and staff who have requested resignation but are not appointed will enjoy the requested vacation).
- On May 27, the June planning is published.
However, the AUGC reminds us that to benefit from this option you must have previously requested the enjoyment of at least 15 days of vacation in summer shifts. Those agents who are “selected” will retain their right to those vacation days that they do not ultimately enjoy in the summer. And that's not all, in addition, you can catch up to three days for “particular matters.”
Looking to the future, agents who have given up enjoying their summer holidays this year and perceive the remuneration of 1,188 euros, will have preference in later years. The association explains that, due to the lack of foresight, next week the General Directorate of the Civil Guard will publish a document in which it is expected to detail the conditions of this so-called “pilot project.” A patch that tries to cover, without success, the serious shortage of agents and that shows that, when the Government wants, money is not a problem.