The debate followed the strike on November 24, which saw participation close to 70% of the staff. The ERC deputy, Jordi Albert i Caballero, questioned the Government about the situation, contrasting salary stagnation with the institutional push for the ALBA II expansion project.
“"to act cautiously and with full respect for the ongoing judicial procedure."
Minister Núria Montserrat explained that the conflict is judicialized due to the decision by the Consortium for the Construction, Equipment and Exploitation of the Synchrotron Light Laboratory (CELLS) to stop paying new tranches of the professional promotion supplement, arguing that this would exceed the salary mass limits allowed by budgetary laws.
Although the Social Court number 2 of Sabadell dismissed the collective conflict in April 2025, the workers have filed an appeal before the High Court of Justice of Catalonia (TSJC). The works council insists that their demands go further, citing salaries frozen since 2022 and low pay competitiveness, up to 60% below similar European centers.
Union representatives and the ERC group warned that salary blockage could lead to a serious talent drain, hindering the recruitment of qualified professionals. This warning comes just after the State Government and the Generalitat approved an addendum guaranteeing an investment of nearly 1,000 million euros over the next 15 years to deploy the ALBA II project.
