Spanish Forest Firefighters Reach New Labor Agreement

Forest firefighters in Spain signed a collective labor agreement with the regional Ministry of the Environment and the main trade unions CCOO and UGT. The deal grants a 14% wage increase in the first year and progressive raises that will exceed 30% between 2028 and 2032, along with seniority and emergency bonuses.

The agreement adds 29 new contracts, reclassifies about 20 workers as full‑time forest firefighters, and converts 96 seasonal staff to year‑round employment, enabling a rotating shift system that removes the previous requirement to stay within 30 minutes of a base. While the deal addresses pay and staffing, unions note that material shortages—such as outdated vehicles and missing equipment—remain a concern for response times amid heightened summer fire risk in regions like Murcia.

The pact is seen as a step toward improving the service's capacity to tackle increasingly intense wildfires that have been exacerbated by dry vegetation and urban expansion.