Minimum wage, new permits and the pulse of Uber Eats: this is how Yolanda Díaz will start in 2026

MadridThe minimum wage, new bereavement and palliative care leave, and the crackdown on Uber Eats. These are the three issues that will shape the agenda of the Second Vice President and Minister of Labor, Yolanda Díaz, during the first weeks of 2026, at least in labor matters. This comes at a time of great weakness for the Spanish government due to... alleged cases of corruption and sexual and workplace harassment As the pressure mounts on Pedro Sánchez's inner circle, Díaz sees economic and social measures as the opening through which the government can find some breathing room. They also represent a way for the government to define its profile, especially given the upcoming regional elections – beginning with Aragon on February 8th.

Minimum Wage after Christmas

Initially, negotiations with social partners to increase the minimum interprofessional wage (SMI) in 2026 will resume after the Christmas holidays, according to sources at the Ministry of Labor. Although there have already been a first meeting with unions and employersWhile some voices within the social dialogue hadn't ruled out the possibility that the Spanish government would move quickly to announce the increase in 2025, the Ministry of Labor has ultimately decided to continue discussions next year. Sources within the Ministry explain that the decision was made after the Spanish employers' association, CEOE, argued that the year was ending with many issues still unresolved. Although the Ministry of Labor hasn't given up on a tripartite agreement, recent clashes with the CEOE don't suggest a resolution in that direction. Furthermore, sources within the Ministry headed by Díaz rule out any proposal below the minimum percentage set by the committee of experts (a 3.1% increase in the minimum wage excluding income tax and a 4.7% increase including income tax). Employers, on the other hand, are proposing a 1.5% increase, and unions a 7.5% increase. The fact that the Ministry of Economy is leaning towards those receiving the minimum wage not paying income tax (IRPF), something the Treasury already anticipates, suggests that the Ministry of Labor will propose an amount around 3%.

One card the Ministry could play is the regulation of the absorption of salary supplements. This is a commitment to the unions, but employers' associations reject the approach taken by the Ministry of Labor so far. For this reason, adjusting the position on salary supplements could serve as an incentive to attract employers towards the minimum wage.

Leave policies, a decision for Congress

Following an agreement with the unions, and without the employers' association, the Ministry of Labor already has a draft text on the table with the extension of leave for bereavement and palliative careThese measures must now be approved by the Council of Ministers, requiring an agreement with the Socialists. Once approved, they will go to Congress, where their success will depend. Despite the measure's impact, the employers' association's opposition leaves the position of parties like Junts, which already voted against reducing the working week to 37.5 hours, in limbo.

Penalty action against Uber Eats?

Finally, the Ministry of Labor will take action against Uber Eats if the home delivery platform has not changed its employment model. The ministry launched an investigation through the Labor Inspectorate to determine whether the company's employees are working as bogus self-employed contractors or are employed as salaried workers. The investigation concludes in January, and if the ministry finds any irregularities, it will pursue criminal charges, according to sources within Yolanda Díaz's department. These same sources clarify that if Uber Eats has regularized its situation, this legal avenue will be abandoned. In any case, it would be in addition to the administrative sanction imposed by the Labor Inspectorate. Glovo was the first company to find itself in this predicament. Ultimately, the company began operating with salaried employees after years of circumventing regulations. law rider.