Ministry of Labour (Spain)

==== 2008–2014 financial crisis: labour reforms ====

==== 2008–2014 financial crisis: labour reforms ====

[[File:Zapatero Trabajo, Sindicatos y Empresarios Acuerdo Social y Económico.jpg|left|thumb|Government, union and employer representatives after signing the Social and Economic Agreement. 2011]]

In 2008, social policies were distributed between the [[Ministry of Education (Spain)|Ministry of Education]] and the newly created [[Ministry of Equality (Spain)|Ministry of Equality]], although in both cases they were transferred to the [[Ministry of Health (Spain)|Ministry of Health]] between 2009 and 2010, respectively.{{Cite web |date=2009-04-07 |title=Zapatero suprime la Secretaría de Estado de Universidades, la de Educación y Formación y la de Política Social |url=https://www.europapress.es/sociedad/noticia-gobierno-zapatero-suprime-secretaria-estado-universidades-educacion-formacion-politica-social-20090407195017.html |access-date=2026-04-19 |website=www.europapress.es |language=es}}{{Cite news |date=2010-10-20 |title=Adiós al Ministerio de Igualdad |url=https://elpais.com/elpais/2010/10/20/actualidad/1287562624_850215.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160324113621/https://elpais.com/elpais/2010/10/20/actualidad/1287562624_850215.html |archive-date=24 March 2016 |access-date=2026-04-19 |work=El País |language=es |issn=1134-6582}}

In 2008, social policies were distributed between the [[Ministry of Education (Spain)|Ministry of Education]] and the newly created [[Ministry of Equality (Spain)|Ministry of Equality]], although in both cases they were transferred to the [[Ministry of Health (Spain)|Ministry of Health]] between 2009 and 2010, respectively.{{Cite web |date=2009-04-07 |title=Zapatero suprime la Secretaría de Estado de Universidades, la de Educación y Formación y la de Política Social |url=https://www.europapress.es/sociedad/noticia-gobierno-zapatero-suprime-secretaria-estado-universidades-educacion-formacion-politica-social-20090407195017.html |access-date=2026-04-19 |website=www.europapress.es |language=es}}{{Cite news |date=2010-10-20 |title=Adiós al Ministerio de Igualdad |url=https://elpais.com/elpais/2010/10/20/actualidad/1287562624_850215.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160324113621/https://elpais.com/elpais/2010/10/20/actualidad/1287562624_850215.html |archive-date=24 March 2016 |access-date=2026-04-19 |work=El País |language=es |issn=1134-6582}}

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During this period, the main effects of the [[2008–2014 Spanish financial crisis|economic crisis]] began to be felt, leading to important reforms such as the [[2010 Spanish Labor Reform|2010 labour reform]], which extended the "employment promotion contract" with a [[severance payment]] of 33 days—which meant cheaper dismissals compared to the normal contract that had 45 days—, established the possibility of dismissal with less severance pay in objective cases of economic problems, greater control over the unemployed, harsher penalties for [[absenteeism]], increased severance pay for temporary contracts—to discourage their use—and increased bonuses for companies for new hires, among other measures.{{Cite web |date=10 September 2010 |title=Así queda la reforma laboral: despido más barato y mayor control a los parados {{!}} elmundo.es |url=https://www.elmundo.es/mundodinero/2010/09/09/economia/1284042795.html |access-date=2026-04-19 |website=www.elmundo.es}}{{Cite news |date=2010-06-14 |title=Las claves de la reforma laboral |url=https://elpais.com/economia/2010/06/11/actualidad/1276241583_850215.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140513122604/https://elpais.com/economia/2010/06/11/actualidad/1276241583_850215.html |archive-date=13 May 2014 |access-date=2026-04-19 |work=El País |language=es |issn=1134-6582}}

During this period, the main effects of the [[2008–2014 Spanish financial crisis|economic crisis]] began to be felt, leading to important reforms such as the [[2010 Spanish Labor Reform|2010 labour reform]], which extended the "employment promotion contract" with a [[severance payment]] of 33 days—which meant cheaper dismissals compared to the normal contract that had 45 days—, established the possibility of dismissal with less severance pay in objective cases of economic problems, greater control over the unemployed, harsher penalties for [[absenteeism]], increased severance pay for temporary contracts—to discourage their use—and increased bonuses for companies for new hires, among other measures.{{Cite web |date=10 September 2010 |title=Así queda la reforma laboral: despido más barato y mayor control a los parados {{!}} elmundo.es |url=https://www.elmundo.es/mundodinero/2010/09/09/economia/1284042795.html |access-date=2026-04-19 |website=www.elmundo.es}}{{Cite news |date=2010-06-14 |title=Las claves de la reforma laboral |url=https://elpais.com/economia/2010/06/11/actualidad/1276241583_850215.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140513122604/https://elpais.com/economia/2010/06/11/actualidad/1276241583_850215.html |archive-date=13 May 2014 |access-date=2026-04-19 |work=El País |language=es |issn=1134-6582}}

Following the [[2011 Spanish general election|2011 general election]], prime minister [[Mariano Rajoy]] replaced the term "Labour" with "Employment" for the first time; the ministry was then known as "Ministry of Employment and Social Security," although retaining the same powers.{{Cite web |last=Cruz Martín |first=María del Carmen |date=2011-12-21 |title=Rajoy inicia su mandato con el menor número de ministros de la historia de la democracia |url=https://www.rtve.es/noticias/20111221/rajoy-inicia-su-mandato-con-menor-numero-ministros-historia-democracia/483946.shtml |access-date=2026-04-19 |website=RTVE.es |language=es}}

Following the [[2011 Spanish general election|2011 general election]], prime minister [[Mariano Rajoy]] replaced the term "Labour" with "Employment" for the first time; the ministry was then known as "Ministry of Employment and Social Security," although retaining the same powers.{{Cite web |last=Cruz Martín |first=María del Carmen |date=2011-12-21 |title=Rajoy inicia su mandato con el menor número de ministros de la historia de la democracia |url=https://www.rtve.es/noticias/20111221/rajoy-inicia-su-mandato-con-menor-numero-ministros-historia-democracia/483946.shtml |access-date=2026-04-19 |website=RTVE.es |language=es}}

[[File:HuelgaGeneral29M2012Valencia 01.jpg|thumb|The approval of the 2012 labour reform was unpopular and sparked a nationwide general strike.]]

This government, which from the opposition had criticized the ineffectiveness of the 2010 labour reform in achieving the goal of promoting employment,{{Cite web |last=Yanel |first=Agustín |date=9 September 2010 |title=El Congreso aprueba la reforma laboral entre críticas unánimes de la oposición |url=https://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2010/09/09/espana/1284025657.html |access-date=2026-04-19 |website=www.elmundo.es |language=es}} announced that it would carry out a new reform.{{Cite news |last=Elordi Cué |first=Carlos |date=2011-08-29 |title=Rajoy apunta una nueva reforma laboral |url=https://elpais.com/politica/2011/08/29/actualidad/1314644443_938924.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210214004331/https://elpais.com/politica/2011/08/29/actualidad/1314644443_938924.html |archive-date=14 February 2021 |access-date=2026-04-19 |work=El País |language=es |issn=1134-6582}} As promised, a few months after its inauguration, the conservative government approved a new reform that, among other aspects, it equated private employment agencies with public ones to help the latter find jobs for the unemployed,{{Cite web |last=López Manjón |first=Pedro |date=2012-02-20 |title=Los detalles de la reforma laboral (V): las ETT colaboran con los Servicios Públicos de Empleo |url=https://www.rtve.es/noticias/20120220/detalles-reforma-laboral-iv-ett-compiten/498440.shtml |access-date=2026-04-19 |website=RTVE.es |language=es}} reduced compensation in case of unfair dismissal from 45 to 33 days,{{Cite web |date=2012-02-12 |title=Las claves de la reforma laboral de Rajoy: así afectará a despidos, jóvenes, convenios, salarios... |url=https://www.20minutos.es/lainformacion/economia/las-claves-reforma-laboral-rajoy-asi-afectara-despidos-jovenes-convenios-salarios--2200512/ |access-date=2026-04-19 |website=www.20minutos.es |language=es}} made [[collective agreement]]s more flexible—the conditions initially approved can be renegotiated at any time—and limited their post-expiry validity (meaning that they remain in force for only two years after expiration).{{Cite web |date=2020-05-21 |title=Reforma laboral 2012: todas las claves |url=https://www.rtve.es/noticias/20200521/claves-reforma-laboral-despido-mas-barato-nuevas-bonificaciones/502961.shtml |access-date=2026-04-19 |website=RTVE.es |language=es}}

This government, which from the opposition had criticized the ineffectiveness of the 2010 labour reform in achieving the goal of promoting employment,{{Cite web |last=Yanel |first=Agustín |date=9 September 2010 |title=El Congreso aprueba la reforma laboral entre críticas unánimes de la oposición |url=https://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2010/09/09/espana/1284025657.html |access-date=2026-04-19 |website=www.elmundo.es |language=es}} announced that it would carry out a new reform.{{Cite news |last=Elordi Cué |first=Carlos |date=2011-08-29 |title=Rajoy apunta una nueva reforma laboral |url=https://elpais.com/politica/2011/08/29/actualidad/1314644443_938924.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210214004331/https://elpais.com/politica/2011/08/29/actualidad/1314644443_938924.html |archive-date=14 February 2021 |access-date=2026-04-19 |work=El País |language=es |issn=1134-6582}} As promised, a few months after its inauguration, the conservative government approved a new reform that, among other aspects, it equated private employment agencies with public ones to help the latter find jobs for the unemployed,{{Cite web |last=López Manjón |first=Pedro |date=2012-02-20 |title=Los detalles de la reforma laboral (V): las ETT colaboran con los Servicios Públicos de Empleo |url=https://www.rtve.es/noticias/20120220/detalles-reforma-laboral-iv-ett-compiten/498440.shtml |access-date=2026-04-19 |website=RTVE.es |language=es}} reduced compensation in case of unfair dismissal from 45 to 33 days,{{Cite web |date=2012-02-12 |title=Las claves de la reforma laboral de Rajoy: así afectará a despidos, jóvenes, convenios, salarios... |url=https://www.20minutos.es/lainformacion/economia/las-claves-reforma-laboral-rajoy-asi-afectara-despidos-jovenes-convenios-salarios--2200512/ |access-date=2026-04-19 |website=www.20minutos.es |language=es}} made [[collective agreement]]s more flexible—the conditions initially approved can be renegotiated at any time—and limited their post-expiry validity (meaning that they remain in force for only two years after expiration).{{Cite web |date=2020-05-21 |title=Reforma laboral 2012: todas las claves |url=https://www.rtve.es/noticias/20200521/claves-reforma-laboral-despido-mas-barato-nuevas-bonificaciones/502961.shtml |access-date=2026-04-19 |website=RTVE.es |language=es}}