Salaries in state-subsidised schools: what changes in the Balearic Islands, Navarre and Aragon

Key data

Workers at state-subsidised schools in the Balearic Islands, Navarre and Aragon are entitled to higher pay from 16 March 2026. The Resolution of the Dirección General de Trabajo published on 30 March 2026 incorporates into the VII Convenio Colectivo de empresas de enseñanza privada sostenidas total o parcialmente con fondos públicos the pay agreements that each of these three autonomous communities had approved independently.

For directors and managers of these schools, this is not a theoretical matter: it means reviewing payroll, recalculating budgets and verifying that the public funding received covers the new salary level. Those who fail to act in time are accumulating debt to their employees.

What does this regulation establish?

The Comisión Paritaria del VII Convenio Colectivo has formalised the incorporation of the pay agreements approved in three autonomous communities. This means that what were previously regional agreements now have official backing and registration at national level within the framework collective agreement.

The three territories incorporated and the scope of the measure are:

The mechanism is the standard one in state-subsidised education: the autonomous communities negotiate salary conditions for their territories with trade unions and employers' associations, and those agreements are subsequently incorporated into the national collective agreement through the Comisión Paritaria. This resolution is the step that gives official validity and public notice to that incorporation.

Economic and operational impact

The direct impact occurs on two simultaneous fronts:

For educational centres: they must update their salary scales and recalculate the payroll of all affected employees. Since the entry into force is 16 March 2026 and publication took place on 30 March, there is a period of arrears that must be settled in the next payroll or as a supplementary payment.

For public funding: the regulation expressly establishes that the public funding of these centres must cover the agreed pay increase. This means that centres must verify that the concerted agreement module updated by their autonomous community already reflects the new salary level. If it does not, they must claim this from the relevant educational authority.

The specific operational effects are:

• Review and update of the applicable salary scales in each autonomous community.
• Recalculation of payroll with retroactive effect from 16 March 2026.
• Adjustment of the centre's annual budget to reflect the new personnel costs.
• Verification that the concerted agreement module covers the increase; if not, a formal claim to the regional authority.
• Update of employment contracts or economic conditions for employees where applicable.

Who is affected?

This resolution directly affects:

• Directors and managers of state-subsidised schools in the Balearic Islands, Navarre and Aragon, who are responsible for applying the new salary scales.
• HR and administration departments at these centres, who must manage the payroll recalculation and any arrears.
• CFOs and financial managers of education groups with centres in these regions, who must review the budgetary impact.
• Workers in state-subsidised private education in the Balearic Islands, Navarre and Aragon, who are entitled to receive the new amounts from 16 March 2026.
• Labour advisors and management consultancies handling payroll for these centres.

State-subsidised schools in other autonomous communities are not affected, nor are private schools without a concerted agreement, nor public schools.

Practical example

A state-subsidised school in Zaragoza (Aragon) with 25 employees on its payroll receives notification that the Aragon pay agreement has been incorporated into the VII Convenio with effect from 16 March 2026.

The head of the centre must proceed as follows:

1. Ask their labour advisor for the new salary scales approved for Aragon under the VII Convenio.
2. Calculate the difference between each employee's current salary and the new amount they are entitled to.
3. Settle the arrears corresponding to the period from 16 to 31 March 2026 in the March payroll or as a supplementary payment.
4. Apply the new salary from the April 2026 payroll onwards.
5. Verify with the Aragon regional education authority that the centre's concerted agreement module already reflects the new pay level. If not, initiate the formal claim procedure so that public funding covers the increase.

The same process applies to centres in the Balearic Islands and Navarre, using the specific salary scales approved in each of those communities.

What should organisations do now?

1. Identify whether the centre is affected: confirm that the centre is located in the Balearic Islands, Navarre or Aragon and operates under a state-subsidised education agreement.
2. Obtain the new salary scales: request from the labour advisory service or the sector's employers' association the pay scales approved for the relevant autonomous community and incorporated into the VII Convenio.
3. Calculate arrears from 16 March 2026: determine the accumulated salary difference since the date of entry into force and prepare a supplementary payment or include it in the next payroll.
4. Update the payroll system: apply the new amounts in the personnel management software so that future payrolls correctly reflect the new conditions.
5. Review the centre's annual budget: recalculate the total personnel cost for the 2026 financial year using the new scales and identify any potential deviations.
6. Verify public funding coverage: check that the current concerted agreement module covers the new salary level. If not, contact the regional education authority to request an update to the module.
7. Document compliance: retain evidence of the application of the new scales and payments made, in case of a labour inspection or employee claim.

Official source

View the full regulation at the official source

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, please consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-7279