In response to the opening up of the labour market to countries from Eastern Europe, the ÖGB trade union confederation has secured an agreement with the employers to monitor pay rates and ensure that employers are paying at least the minimum rates set in sectoral agreements. There is no legal minimum wage but very high levels of collective bargaining coverage. Unions and employers have called on the authorities to take on more employees to ensure that pay can be effectively monitored.
Read more at > vida (DE)
Employers and unions agree minimum wage initiative
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Trade unions and employers agree €1,000 minimum wage
The ÖGB trade union confederation has signed an agreement with the WKÖ employers' organisation establishing a €1,000 as the minimum monthly pay for full-time workers. There is no statutory minimum wage in Austria and the trade unions have not been calling for one because of the very high coverage of collective agreements. This new agreement will be implemented through collective bargaining mainly at sector level. Workers currently earning less than €1,000 but more than €900 should see their pay increase to €1,000 by 1 January 2008. Those currently earning between €800 and €900 will get €1,000
Employers and unions agree 21% increase in minimum wage
The minimum wage in Estonia is set to rise to 4,350 kroons (€278) in January 2008 following agreement between the EAKL trade union confederation and the employers. This represents an increase of 21% on the current minimum wage of 3,600 kroons a month. Although this is well ahead of inflation (8.5% in the 12 months to October) it is only just in line with increases in average earnings (20%-22%). This means that the minimum wage will remain at just under 40% of average earnings even after this significant increase. [Read more at > Baltic Times (EN)->http://www.baltictimes.com/news/articles/19353
Union supports minimum wage initiative
The vpod/ssp public services union is calling for a "yes" vote in the referendum on introducing a statutory minimum wage. The vote takes place on 18 May and the vpod/ssp believes that the introduction of a minimum wage will be a positive step towards reducing the gender pay gap. It also sees it as important to protect pay in parts of the private sector where there is less coverage of collective agreements, including former public services that have been privatised. [Read more at > vpod/ssp (DE)->http://www.vpod.ch/aktuell/nachrichten/ansicht/article/mindestlohn-hilft-gegen-lohnungleichheit