Pay Cut Announced Amid Budget Review

The Port of Barcelona will cut €16 per month from each employee's pay after the Port Authority cancelled the remaining portion of the 2025 performance-based objectives. The decision, confirmed on Tuesday 27th October 2026, was communicated by the workers' committee, which described it as the "latest outrage against the economic rights" of staff. The Port Authority, chaired by José Alberto Carbonell, stated it could not pay the outstanding objectives "as a matter of prudence". This follows a review by the General Intervention of the State Administration (IGAE), which detected anomalies in the port's economic management, according to reporting by Crónica Global.

"Technical Mismatch" in Budget Management

The Port Authority has acknowledged the need for forced adjustments but attributes the issue to a "technical mismatch" in budgetary management. It traces the imbalance to legacy salary commitments, some nearly 30 years old, which now require correction. Carbonell's team has committed to resolving these imbalances by allocating part of future salary increases toward correcting the deviations, according to the official statement.

Protests Planned at Torre Jaume I

The move has sparked anger among workers, who argue that the decision breaches an agreement reached through collective bargaining. In response, staff representatives are calling for a demonstration at Torre Jaume I, located opposite the Eurostars Grand Marina hotel, on Wednesday 28th October 2026.

"This is the latest outrage against the economic rights of the workforce,"

said a spokesperson for the works council.

57 Executives Outside Collective Agreements

A complicating factor in the dispute is the presence of around 57 senior executives whose remuneration is not governed by collective bargaining agreements, despite receiving benefits such as meal vouchers and salary ordering supplements. Union representatives say these arrangements contribute to the budgetary imbalance. Despite reporting a net profit of €63 million in 2024 and annual revenues exceeding €200 million, the port is implementing adjustments to comply with Treasury requirements, as detailed in a February 2025 financial update (Port of Barcelona financial report).

Sources: Crónica Global, portdebarcelona.cat.