Some weeks ago officers from the National Police and the Guardia Civil in Orihuela, members of la Asociación Justicia Salarial de Policías y Guardias Civiles (JUSAPOL), took to the streets as they appealed for public support in their demands for parity in the salary structures of their two organisations with the Local Police.

Currently local police, especially in the larger cities, earn an average of 2,100 euros per month, whilst the national police officers are paid rather less at approximately 1,400 euros per month.

The difference also extends to the add ons, extra payments, overtime and suchlike and even pensions where, being related to basic salary, the retirement pay of a national guard officer is about 1,000 euros, whilst that of a local agent is double.

In Torrevieja their struggle has now been taken up by Ciudadanos where the spokeswoman for the municipal group, Pilar Gómez Magán, has criticised the mayor, José Manuel Dolón for, “underestimating the strength of feeling” in respect to the motion submitted by her party to even out the salaries of the Security Forces.

She said that the local government “has scorned” the proposal of C’s at the last meeting of the City Council, and the subject has now been excluded from debate at the next plenary session.

Gómez Magán has criticised Dolón who has said that “other issues have a greater priority, not the equalisation of the salaries of Civil Guards and National Police with the regional police forces.”

The mayor has stated that the problem is that of a national one and that the Government should take charge, and that’s why he was not going to include the item on the plenary agenda.

Ciudadanos also lamented the lack of participation of other municipal groups.