Confederation calls for urgent action on minimum wage

Ukraine

The FPSU trade union confederation has called on the government to raise the minimum wage to keep it in line with calculations of a living wage. It argues that in 2017 the two-stage increase of the minimum wage to UAH 3200 (EUR 104) was positive for both the standard of living and economic growth. However, this January's increase to UAH 3723 (EUR 121) was inadequate to keep pace with the living wage which had already risen to UAH 4011 (EUR 130) and was at UAH 4213 (EUR 137) by April. According to the FPSU around 20% of workers are classified as poor and the average wage at EUR 262 is only slightly more than the lowest minimum wage in the EU (Bulgaria - EUR 261). The confederation says that it had secured a commitment for an increase of the minimum wage to UAH 4200 (EUR 136) in the second quarter of 2018 and the government needs to stand by that commitment.

FPSU (UKr)

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