Key data
| Regulation | XXIV Collective Agreement for Railway Contracts |
|---|---|
| Resolution | Resolution of July 22, 2026, General Labor Directorate |
| BOE Publication | August 5, 2026 |
| Entry into force | August 6, 2026 |
| Validity | Until December 31, 2029 (4 years) |
| Economic effects | Retroactive to January 1, 2026 |
| Affected parties | Companies and workers in railway auxiliary service contracts throughout Spain |
| Category | Labor Legislation |
| Signatory parties | ASPEL, AGESFER, UNECOFE (employers) and UGT, CCOO (unions) |
Railway auxiliary service concession companies have an immediate obligation: to regularize the salaries of their workforce from January 2026, even though the agreement was published in August. The XXIV Collective Agreement for Railway Contracts, registered through Resolution of July 22, 2026 of the General Labor Directorate, establishes this retroactivity expressly and bindingly for all companies in the sector.
The agreement has been signed by the employer associations ASPEL, AGESFER and UNECOFE, together with the unions UGT and CCOO, which gives it broad representativeness and full general effectiveness in the sector.
What does this regulation establish?
The XXIV Collective Agreement for Railway Contracts regulates the working conditions of the sector during the period 2026-2029. Its most relevant structural elements are:
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Validity | Until December 31, 2029 |
| Economic effects | Retroactive to January 1, 2026 |
| Joint Committee | 8 members with functions of interpretation, mediation and oversight |
| Deadline for resolving discrepancies | 7 days by the Joint Committee before resorting to extrajudicial means |
| Ultra-activity | Regulatory content remains in force 48 months after agreement termination |
| Salary non-application | Discrepancies regarding substantial modifications or salary non-application must first be resolved in the Joint Committee |
The Joint Committee, composed of eight members, acts as a mandatory first filter for any conflict of interpretation or application of the agreement. Only if no agreement is reached within that 7-day period can the parties resort to extrajudicial conflict resolution methods.
The 48-month ultra-activity clause is particularly relevant: it guarantees that, even if the agreement is terminated at the end of its validity period, its conditions continue to apply for four more years, offering stability to companies and workers.
Economic and operational impact
The most immediate and quantifiable impact for companies is salary retroactivity. Since the agreement was published in August 2026 with effects from January 2026, companies must pay back pay for the months from January to July 2026 (7 months) in a single payment or in the agreed manner.
This implies planning an unforeseen cash outflow in the year's budget. HR and finance departments must coordinate to calculate the exact amount per employee and manage back pay payment as quickly as possible.
From an operational perspective, the agreement also introduces procedural obligations in case of any attempt at substantial modification of working conditions or salary non-application: the company must first resort to the Joint Committee and respect the 7-day deadline before adopting any unilateral measure.
Who does it affect?
The agreement applies to all companies and workers in railway auxiliary service contracts in Spain. The services expressly included are:
- Cleaning of trains and railway stations
- Disinfection of railway facilities and equipment
- Loading and unloading of goods in railway environments
- Railway operations
- Route accompaniment
All concession companies providing these auxiliary services are obligated, regardless of their size, that operate in the Spanish territorial scope.
Practical example
Imagine a train cleaning company with 50 employees whose average monthly salary is €1,500 gross. If the agreement establishes a salary increase that amounts to, for example, €60 gross per month per employee (the exact percentage should be consulted in the salary tables of the published agreement), the back pay calculation would be as follows:
- Monthly back pay per employee: €60
- Months to regularize (January-July 2026): 7 months
- Back pay per employee: €420
- Total back pay for 50 employees: €21,000 to be paid at once
This amount must be added to the regular payroll for the month in which it is regularized, with the impact on social contributions and income tax withholding that this entails. It is essential that the HR department or labor management firm calculates the exact amount according to the agreement's salary tables and each employee's category.
What should companies do now?
- Review the agreement's salary tables: Access the full text published in the BOE and identify the increases agreed for each professional category.
- Calculate the amount of back pay per employee: Determine the difference between what was paid from January 2026 and what the agreement establishes, for each employee and category.
- Plan back pay payment: Coordinate with the finance department the necessary cash outflow and determine in which payroll it will be regularized (with impact on income tax and Social Security).
- Update contracts and payrolls: Ensure that future payrolls reflect the new amounts from the month of regularization onwards.
- Know how the Joint Committee works: In case of any discrepancy regarding agreement application, remember that the first mandatory step is to resort to the Joint Committee, with a 7-day resolution deadline.
- Do not attempt to non-apply the agreement without following the procedure: Any attempt at substantial modification of conditions or salary non-application must first go through the Joint Committee before resorting to extrajudicial means.
Frequently asked questions
When do the salary increases from the XXIV Railway Contracts Agreement take effect?
The economic effects are retroactive to January 1, 2026, although the agreement was published in the BOE on August 5, 2026. Companies must pay back pay for the months from January to July 2026 in the regularization payroll.
Until when is the railway contracts agreement valid?
The agreement has a validity of four years, until December 31, 2029. Furthermore, if terminated at the end of its validity, the regulatory content remains in force for 48 additional months (ultra-activity clause), guaranteeing labor stability in the sector.
Which companies are obligated to apply this agreement?
All railway auxiliary service concession companies in Spain: train and station cleaning, disinfection, loading and unloading, railway operations and route accompaniment. The agreement has been signed by the employer associations ASPEL, AGESFER and UNECOFE and the unions UGT and CCOO.
What happens if there are discrepancies regarding agreement application or salary non-application?
Before resorting to extrajudicial means, the company must submit the discrepancy to the Joint Committee, which has a deadline of 7 days to resolve it. The Committee is made up of 8 members and has functions of interpretation, mediation and oversight of the agreement.
How does retroactivity affect the calculation of Social Security contributions and income tax withholding?
The payment of back pay has an impact on Social Security contributions and income tax withholding for 2026. It is recommended that the labor management firm or HR department calculate the exact impact per employee and category before proceeding with regularization.
Official source
Consult complete regulation in official source
Notice: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-17061
