Abstract – The publication of the Order DEF/1363/2016 of 28 July 2016, concerning the working time and the work schedule in duty stations of members of the armed forces has revived the controversy about working time in Spain. The Order leaves the decision about the working schedules, rest periods and compensation issues up to the discretion of the head of unit, who can, above all, decide whether a soldier is to be compensated for excessive working hours or not.

The new Order was drafted after the last meeting of a taskforce composed of the MoD and professional associations represented in the Council Personnel of the Armed Forces (COPERFAS).

After the publication of the draft, all associations rejected the text for the above mentioned reasons. According to ATME, the Order is a new setback to the rights of the military personnel in Spain.

The original text is available here. For more information please contact ATME.