Since the start of the crisis, the ETUC has voiced its grave concerns about the negative impact of austerity measures on Europe’s economic and social situation. As all trends show constantly since then, this impact resulted in exploding unemployment figures, with actually more than 26.5 million people without a job. The infographic based on the ETUI’s recent Benchmarking Working Europe report demonstrates that, in the majority of countries where unemployment is increasing, salaries are falling, with serious consequences in terms of growing poverty risk and social exclusion.

“What this visual wage developments map is proving is that wages are the principle target of austerity measures across Europe. They clearly became the key instrument or adjustment mechanism through an internal devaluation policy” said Bernadette Ségol, ETUC General Secretary. “This trend did not solve the “competitiveness” problems, in particular in countries subject to financial bailout schemes. On the contrary, it aggravated existing problems, by affecting the most vulnerable. This is unacceptable and it risks undermining further the already fragile citizens’ support to the European project”.

 Link to the visual map: http://www.etui.org/News/ETUI-wage-...