Parliament backs wage increase request
The Catalan Parliament has approved a motion calling on the Spanish Government to continue increasing the Interprofessional Minimum Wage (SMI) and to allow regions with above-average wages, such as Catalonia, to set a higher minimum through a change in national regulations. The measure, part of a broader employment policy motion put forward by the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC), passed on Thursday 5th November 2026 with support from all parliamentary groups except the People's Party (PP) and Vox, which voted against it.
2027 SMI rise proposed at 5.3%
This development follows the Spanish Ministry of Labour and Social Economy’s draft royal decree, which proposes raising the SMI by 5.3% in 2027. If implemented, the new rate would be €1,286 per month across 14 payments, amounting to €18,004 annually, or €42.87 per day. The draft is currently under consultation and has not yet been finalised.
Catalan reference wage push
The motion also calls on the Generalitat (Catalan regional government) to formally demand the creation of a Catalan Minimum Wage. It stresses this should not delay the immediate introduction of a Catalan reference minimum wage using existing legal powers. Separate legislative efforts are already underway. The Catalan Parliament is processing a proposed law to establish a reference minimum wage of €1,400, according to reporting from Vilaweb and Diario Empresas.
Labour inspection transfer requested
In another approved measure, the Parliament urged the Spanish Government to fully transfer authority over labour and social security inspections, along with passive labour policies such as unemployment benefits, to Catalonia. This would mirror the existing arrangement in the Basque Country. The Generalitat’s official website confirms ongoing legislative activity, though the draft law for a Catalan reference wage is not yet listed among the current bills in the pipeline.
Sources: Europa Press, Generalitat de Catalunya.
