The European Parliament and the European Council have reached an agreement on fair minimum wages in the EU. From now on, Member States must check whether their minimum wages are not lagging behind average wages. The minimum must be adjusted every two years.
EU countries themselves determine the level of the minimum wage and that varies quite a bit. For example, some workers are struggling to make ends meet now that heating costs are rising and groceries are becoming more expensive. The Netherlands has already announced an increase and Germany recently did the same.
But it follows from the agreement in principle that negotiators from the European Parliament and the governments of the EU countries have reached, says MEP Agnes Jongerius. The PvdA member represented parliament at the consultation.
Jongerius speaks of “a clear signal that we should increase to 14 euros in the Netherlands”, because the minimum wage should be at least half of the average gross wage and 60 percent of the median gross wage. In future, Member States should also take purchasing power into account.
The FNV is satisfied with the agreement. “We have been fighting for an increase in the minimum wage for more than four years. The cabinet must now raise the minimum wage to 14 euros in one fell swoop. Not in mini steps. And the benefits must remain linked to this,” says board member Petra Bolster.
According to the union, the current hourly wage of 10.48 euros is too low to make a decent living. “Certainly now that inflation is soaring and groceries, gas and petrol are becoming unaffordable, the gap that many workers have at the end of the month has only widened,” says Bolster.