This week we were made aware of the government’s intention to send officials home in different departments in order to save energy. This is something that was not applied even during the pandemic, but now under the umbrella of the energy saving plan they will be able to have the three days a week that they claimed. Of course, it is not being perfect at all, as they are denouncing through the unions.
The problem that resides in teleworking civil servants is that the necessary material must be provided, and that requires investment. In this way, the General State Administration has determined that the energy savings in public buildings due to not having workers does not compensate for the investment in material. This is forcing officials to have to make a disbursement, something that the law itself prohibits.
The government “breaks” its own teleworking law
If we go to Law 10/2021 on remote workin its article 19, point 2, the following is specified: The company must provide the legal representation of workers with the necessary elements for the development of their representative activity, including access to communications and electronic addresses for use in the company and the implementation of the virtual board, when compatible with the form of provision of remote work. And this is precisely what the government is not fulfilling with its officials, who are seen at home without a computer or internet connection.
One of the big problems that all teleworkers within the administration are encountering, and that the unions are picking up, is precisely that They do not have a computer or internet connection to be able to work. These are essential elements, and that the administration is not going to buy. Although there is a teleworking decree, some departments have already taken refuge in the fact that this is a measure within the savings plan and does not correspond to the decree approved by the pandemic.
Other State departments, such as the DGT itself, state that To take advantage of teleworking, you will have to have a workspace with an internet connection and from a computer. Although, it leaves the door open so that, through budgetary availability, it will be possible to buy technical means.
This is something that the Presidency, Health or Consumer Affairs are also doing, where the worker is asked for a commitment to be able to use their own means. In the end, the same conclusion is reached: the saving that the administration suffers in energy in the end has repercussions on the worker with light, heating and also the purchase of extra devices.
In energetic terms, now in winter the teleworker is not interested in being at home working. This is due to the use of heating that consumes a large amount of gas or electricity that is not exactly at a cheap price. That is why they should consider what interests them most: staying at home working or going to the office in person.