Every year, around March, the sector’s Joint Commission publishes the pay scales, and the same conversation begins at many companies: how much will this increase be, and what does it mean for this year’s budget?
Here are the official figures, with the BOE reference next to each one, and what they mean for the actual cost of a police officer.
By how much will the contact center collective bargaining agreement increase in 2026?
The increase is 3.4% and applies to all pay components. It is based on Article 45 of the collective bargaining agreement, which sets the increase at the previous year’s CPI plus half a point, with a floor of 1% and a ceiling of 3.5%. The CPI for 2025 closed at 2.9%, so the calculation comes to 3.4%, which is just one-tenth of a percentage point below the cap.
| Concept | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Annual base salary, Level 10 | €16,576.00 | €17,139.58 |
| Monthly base salary, fourteen payments | €1,184.00 | €1,224.26 |
| Language Plus, per month | 126.64 € | 130.95 € |
| Additional late-night hours, per hour | €1.90 | 1.96 € |
| Transportation surcharge, per day | 6.34 € | 6.56 € |
| Remote work, 30-hour workweek or longer | €1.30 | 1.34 € |
| Remote work, workweek of less than 30 hours | 1.02 € | 1.05 € |
One detail that confuses a lot of people: as of 2024, the former levels 11 and 12 no longer exist. They were merged into Level 10, which was renamed “Call Center Agent” or “Operator.” If someone gives you a chart listing Levels 11 or 12, they’re working with an outdated document.
What allowances are added to the base salary?
This is where two companies of the same size end up with costs that are vastly different. The base salary is the minimum. Bonuses depend on how your department is structured.
| Supplement | Amount for 2026 | When it is activated |
|---|---|---|
| Language Plus | €130.95 per month | The agent provides service in another language |
| Sunday surcharge, Level 10 | €15.33 | Every Sunday worked |
| Regular holiday, level 10 | €44.51 | Each holiday worked |
| Special Holiday, Level 10 | €94.39 | Holidays specified in the agreement |
| More Nightlife | €1.96 per hour | Evening Hours |
| Transportation Bonus | €6.56 per day | As agreed upon in the service |
| Mileage | 0.24 € per km | Service Routes |
A service that runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and operates only in Spanish barely touches this schedule. One that’s open on Saturdays, provides service in English, and closes at 11 p.m. covers the entire schedule. That’s the difference between one budget and another.
How do you convert the collective bargaining agreement rate to the actual hourly cost?
The most common mistake when calculating a budget is to divide the gross salary by the number of hours in the contract. That number doesn’t actually exist.
- Components of the base salary: €17,139.58 per year at Level 10.
- Add the add-ons that apply to your service.
- Add the employer’s share of Social Security contributions to all of the above.
- Add up positions, licenses, initial training, and absenteeism.
- Divide by the number of hours the agent actually spends in the queue, not by the number of hours specified in the contract.
Based on that calculation, the cost per productive hour ranges from €15.55 to €21.60, depending on the position. A standard call center agent falls at the lower end of the range, while a bilingual agent or a coordinator falls at the higher end.
That is also the only figure that can be compared to an external rate. Comparing gross salary to an hourly rate inflates the savings and isn’t helpful to anyone.
What does all this mean for your 2026 budget?
If you keep the same staff and the same services as in 2025, labor costs will rise by 3.4% without any other changes. If you also extend your hours or add a language, that will trigger additional pay that you didn’t pay before.
We’ve broken it down city by city, because even though the agreement is state-wide, the time it takes to fill a vacancy and employee turnover are not:
- Call centers in Seville and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
- Customer service in Málaga and Barcelona.
- The complete map is in the ” Locations” section.
And if you’re looking for a comparison with an external option, it comes down to how much it costs to outsource customer service in Spain.
Frequently Asked Questions
By how much will the contact center collective bargaining agreement increase in 2026?
3.4%. The increase is based on Article 45 of the Third National Collective Bargaining Agreement for the Contact Center Sector, which ties the increase to the previous year’s CPI plus half a point, with a floor of 1% and a ceiling of 3.5%. Since the CPI for 2025 closed at 2.9%, the calculation comes to 3.4%, which is just one-tenth of a percentage point shy of the cap.
What is the base salary for Level 10 in 2026?
€17,139.58 gross annually, paid in fourteen installments, which comes to €1,224.26 per month. In 2025, it was €16,576. It’s worth noting the job level: starting in 2024, the former levels 11 and 12 were eliminated and merged into level 10, which was renamed “Call Center Agent” or “Operator.”
What bonuses are specified in the collective bargaining agreement, and how much are they worth?
Language allowance of €130.95 per month, night shift premium of €1.96 per hour, transportation allowance of €6.56 per day, and mileage allowance of €0.24 per kilometer. At Level 10, the Sunday work premium is €15.33, the standard holiday premium is €44.51, and the special holiday premium is €94.39. Remote work is compensated at €1.34 per day for shifts of 30 hours or more.
Where was the 2026 contact center agreement published?
In the “Official State Gazette” (BOE) No. 58, dated March 6, 2026, pursuant to the Resolution of February 23, 2026, issued by the General Directorate of Labor. The reference is BOE-A-2026-5300. The tables for the previous year are in BOE-A-2025-8781.
To which companies does this agreement apply?
Companies whose primary business is providing contact center services to third parties, regardless of the channel. This is a nationwide collective bargaining agreement, so the base salary does not vary by region. What does vary from city to city is the local labor market and the difficulty in filling vacancies.
How much does an agent’s time actually cost under this agreement?
It’s more than just the base salary divided by the number of hours in the contract. You have to add the employer’s share of Social Security contributions, any bonuses applicable to your position, your job title, leave, training, and absenteeism, and then divide that total by the number of hours the agent is actually on duty. In practice, the cost per productive hour ranges from €15.55 to €21.60, depending on the employee’s profile.
Where to find the original figures
All amounts in this article are taken from the Resolution of February 23, 2026, issued by the General Directorate of Labor and published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) No. 58 on March 6, 2026. The reference is BOE-A-2026-5300, and the text is publicly available.
If you need a customized quote for your specific service—based on your schedule and languages— let’s talk.
Sources: Resolution of February 23, 2026, issued by the General Directorate of Labor; 2026 salary tables from the Third National Collective Bargaining Agreement for the Contact Center Sector (BOE-A-2026-5300). 2025 tables in BOE-A-2025-8781. Article 45 of the agreement regarding the wage review mechanism.
