The Works Committee of Palma's EMT announced on Tuesday a preliminary agreement with the City Council for the new collective agreement 2026-2028, which was supported by over 93% of the votes in a referendum among the workforce.
After more than five years of negotiations, the Works Committee of the Municipal Transport Company (EMT) of Palma has achieved a preliminary agreement with the Ajuntament for the new collective agreement 2026-2028. The proposal was put to a referendum among the workforce and received over 93% of the votes cast, with all the trade union organisations represented in the works committee supporting the text.
A starting point for modernisation
The committee describes the agreement as "a final point" to a particularly demanding process, but the council emphasises that "the signing of this agreement does not represent a destination but a starting point". The company will continue to work to defend the interests of the workforce and improve working conditions.
The City Council highlights the "broad consensus" reached, which will allow for the updating of the company's labour framework and its adaptation to the current reality of the service. The EMT has experienced an increase in the number of passengers in recent years, an expansion of services, the incorporation of new technologies, and a push towards more sustainable mobility.
Electrification, hydrogen, and new responsibilities
Among the main innovations of the agreement are the electrification process of the fleet, the incorporation of hydrogen-powered buses, and the launch of the new Operations Centre at Son Rossinyol. The agreement includes specific measures to recognise the new responsibilities assumed by different professional groups as a result of technological evolution.
Remuneration supplements are created and adapted to recognise technical specialisation, work quality, and the hazardous conditions of maintenance personnel. The working conditions of other groups, especially in traffic and circulation, are also adapted to align with the new functions and responsibilities required by the current service model.
Generational change and work-life balance
The agreement updates hiring and professional promotion processes, promotes generational change by adapting to current regulations on partial retirement and replacement contracts, and recognises new functions arising from the organisational evolution of the company.
In terms of work-life balance and equality, advancements are included such as new rights related to parental leave, protective measures against adverse weather phenomena, and actions aimed at ensuring the protection of workers and defending equality.
The preliminary agreement represents a significant advance in rights, social improvements, and economic conditions for EMT workers. The workforce, which has seen its work transformed with the arrival of new technologies and a commitment to sustainability, now obtains an updated labour framework that recognises these new realities. The next step will be the final signing of the agreement, which will cover the next three years.
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