López Miras seals with CCOO and UGT the biggest reinforcement of Murcia's forest firefighters: more staff, salary improvements and stable employment

The president of the Region of Murcia, Fernando López Miras, has signed this Monday, together with the CCOO and UGT unions, a new agreement to reinforce the forest fire service for the coming years. The pact, which will be in force between 2028 and 2032, includes an expansion of the workforce, labor and salary improvements for workers, and a significant increase in public investment aimed at protecting the natural areas of the community.

The agreement is structured around three main objectives: improving the working conditions of professionals, reinforcing the job stability of the workforce, and strengthening the operational capacity of the forest fire prevention and extinction system.

Among the main measures, the increase in the number of personnel stands out, which will go from the current 350 professionals to a total of 379. In addition, the new labor framework incorporates advances in family reconciliation, a cumulative salary increase of 30.82%, and specific compensations for extraordinary interventions or mobilizations.

Another of the most relevant aspects of the pact is the increase in job stability. According to data provided by the regional Executive, close to 98% of workers will have employment throughout the year, a measure intended to reduce temporary employment and consolidate the service.

The implementation of these improvements will entail a significant economic allocation. The regional Government plans to allocate 140 million euros to the system during the term of the agreement, which represents an average investment of 28 million euros annually and a budgetary increase of 75% compared to current funding.

During the signing, López Miras highlighted the scope of the agreement and stressed that it represents a decisive step for the future of the service. “This agreement marks a before and after in the consolidation of this service, in the recognition of those who comprise it, and in the protection of our natural environment. We are not facing a one-time improvement or just another negotiation; we are facing a far-reaching agreement, the result of the work, dialogue, and commitment of all parties, which will allow us to have a more solid, more stable, better prepared service with more resources to face the challenges ahead,” he affirmed.

The Murcian president highlighted the consensus reached with the trade union organizations and defended that the agreed measures will allow improving both the conditions of the professionals and the response capacity to forest fires, one of the main challenges for the conservation of the natural heritage of the Region of Murcia.