STOP Attacking Minimum Wages - The ETUC Supports the Slovenian Trade Union Confederation
The current minimum wage in Slovenia is €599,73, lower than the at risk-of poverty threshold. The EU is pursuing its ideological conviction of applying pressure to bring down the national minimum wage arguing that it will support competitiveness and job creation. The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) strongly protested against this unacceptable intervention in national wage setting systems in a letter sent today to President Van Rompuy and President Barroso.
Bernadette Ségol (ETUC) General Secretary said: “We protest against this clear and irresponsible interference by EU institutions in national wage setting systems. The limits of EU rights in the field of wages must be respected. The EU has no competence to intervene in wages (article 153-5); its competence to issue wage recommendations through broad economic guidelines is limited to just that, recommendations. There should be no pressure whatsoever on national wage setting systems and more particularly on minimum wages”.
Bernadette Ségol added “What does the EU hope to achieve by bringing down minimum wages in Slovenia? This step would, inevitably, lead to an increase in the number of working poor in this country. These types of measures are unfair and ineffective and only increase the distance between the EU and its citizens; they do not restore growth; they do not increase employment; they increase downwards competition.”
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