The “dignity of scientific employment” was the expression used by the Minister of Science, Manuel Heitor, a meeting with scientists at the Institute of Social Sciences (ICS) Monday in Lisbon in the evening, to present the new proposal hiring PhDs. But some said that there is now the risk of a poor parallel career by a succession of fixed-term contracts.
Organized by Researchers Network Against Scientific precariousness, the meeting aimed to discuss the proposed government legislation to the “new doctoral recruitment scheme designed to stimulate scientific employment” according to the document. The purpose of the law, whose proposal has been approved by the Cabinet and is in discussion phase with unions, is to end the professional system of thousands of PhD researchers living research grants. The proposal opens the door for hiring these professionals, which would have the basic conditions of any other worker as payment of taxes, 13 and 14 months’ salary and access to unemployment benefits.
Despite the change is welcome, as well as the opening of Manuel Heitor to discuss the proposal forward to face with scientists, had discomfort in the room. The decree, as is, defines only temporary contracts and contracts of unspecified duration, not making the connection with the research career of public administration. Furthermore, the proposal does not refer to contracts for an indefinite period – a regime that would prevent researchers were cyclically on the verge of unemployment, where contracts or grants end. This system, which often lasts for more than a decade, does not happen in most occupations where workers eventually enter the picture.
With the new decree, “runs the risk of institutionalizing a career parallel precarious by the succession of six-year contracts in different categories, with no absorption of these researchers from the institutions, “said Publico Paulo Granjo, ICS anthropologist and one of the network coordinators. “The Minister knows better than anyone the need for more people in the scientific and technological work for economic promotion and sustainability of the country.”
A “good intention”
At the meeting Manuel Heitor was adamant. “We are not dealing with the scientific research career, but hiring schemes in time, following the general law of work and have a maximum of six years,” he said. “This solves the problem of thousands of fellows without contracts.”
According to the minister, the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) will annually invite tenders for these new contracts. This is also an aspect to be taken into account in the evaluation of research units which will begin in 2017. “A unit to be very good or excellent has to have a dignifying framework of scientific employment,” he said, considering that this will be a way to encourage the hiring of PhDs in the new regime.
“the good intention of the minister turns out to be undermined by this proposal,” said Publico Gonçalo Leite Velho, a professor at the Polytechnic Institute of Tomar and President the National Union of Higher Education (Snesup), which will meet again on Friday in a second round, with Manuel Heitor. For Snesup, one of the proposal’s problems are the employment contracts of indefinite duration paras universities that are foundations and the private sector. “In general legislation, the contract of unspecified duration is provided for in case of a temporary replacement [a worker]. Here is the norm. These people at any time can be fired, “said Gonçalo Leite Velho.
Manuel Heitor relativize this issue. “This is merely a legal issue. We wanted to give all the possibilities, “said Publico
.” No money, no clowns “
But there is more: the Snesup criticizes the pay table presented in the proposal, with four levels remunerative, whose minimum and maximum limits are large (for example, the monthly gross remuneration “level 2″ will 2334-3158 euros). For Gonçalo Leite Velho, the criteria for applying the remuneration level each researcher are vague, arguing that the employer could therefore pay as little as possible.
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