The new collective agreement for graphic arts in Bizkaia has been published

The new collective agreement for the graphic arts and graphic industry sector of Bizkaia has been published by the Boletín Oficial de Bizkaia (BOB) in issue number 168, on September 3, 2026. The resolution of the territorial representative for Labor and Social Security of Bizkaia of the Department of Economy, Labor and Employment establishes the registration, filing, and publication of the agreement for the 2026-2027 period. The agreement has the official code 48001555011981 and affects hundreds of workers in the sector.

The agreement was signed on May 7, 2026, by the representatives of the companies and social partners, and the resolution was signed in Bilbao on July 8, 2026. It is in force from January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2027, and its application is mandatory throughout the historical territory of Bizkaia for activities related to graphic arts, paper and cardboard handling, and publishing.

Salary increases and arrears

The main innovation of the agreement is the salary increase: an increase of 19.53% has been established for 2026 (cumulative 13% + 2.80% + 2.90% over the 2011 table), with effects from January 1, 2026. To pay the arrears, companies have a period of three months starting from the month following the publication of the agreement.

For 2027, the increase will be according to the 2026 CPI, with a minimum guarantee of 2.50% and a limit of 3.50%. If the CPI is higher than 3.50%, the difference will be applied from January 1, 2028.

Other economic measures

The agreement establishes a non-consolidatable extraordinary salary supplement of 3,200 euros for workers who have been in the same company from January 1, 2012, until the date of the agreement’s signature and have not received a salary increase. The supplement will not apply to companies that have been in insolvency proceedings or have had losses in 2024-2025.

• Salary tables for 2026, in graphic arts: qualification 1.47 20,703.65 euros per year; qualification 3.90 43,120.56 euros.
• In publishing: qualification 1.47 20,860.67 euros; qualification 3.90 43,504.80 euros.
• Seniority: 5% for every two three-year periods and 5% for subsequent five-year periods.

Working day and labor conditions

The working day will be 1,698 hours in 2026 and 1,694 hours in 2027, with a maximum of 226 working days per year. The agreement creates a Joint Parity Commission, with six members on behalf of the companies and six on behalf of the workers’ unions, to oversee the interpretation and fulfillment of the agreement.

Furthermore, the agreement includes equality and non-discrimination measures for LGTBI persons, according to Royal Decree 1026/2024, and establishes a protocol against harassment.

This agreement is important as it provides salary stability and legal security to a sector that had remained updated since 2012. The official publication makes the content of the agreement enforceable for all companies and workers, and establishes the new basis for labor relations in the sector.

Source: Official Gazette of Bizkaia, number 168, September 3, 2026, section III, pp. 1-82 (official reference: BOB-2026a168-(III-137)).