Austria
At its recent congress, the ÖGB trade union confederation has reaffirmed the commitment of its affiliates to achieve a minimum monthly wage of at least €1500 in all collective agreements. The confederation's target was strongly endorsed by 79% of people in a recent poll. However, the confederation also recognised the need to increase working time for those workers, mainly women, who are stuck in part-time jobs but want full-time work.
Read more at > ÖGB (DE)
(January 2017) The vida private services union is calling for a EUR 1500 minimum wage in collective agreements across the private sector. The union says that over 350000 workers are covered by collective agreements where the minimum wage is below EUR 1500, two thirds of these workers are women. The agreements include some in the private care and health service sectors. Once the EUR 1500 is reached then the next step will the the EUR 1700 target set by the OEGB trade union confederation.
The Polish parliament has just agreed a new formula for increases in the national minimum wage. The EIRO industrial relations observatory reports that it will rise in line with prices plus half the growth in GDP until it reaches 50% of the national average wage. The rate is currently around 210 euros and is the equivalent of 35% of the average wage. Read more at > EIRO
With very high levels of collective bargaining coverage, trade unions in Austria have been able to negotiate improved minimum wages without needing any legal minimum wage. In recent years unions have been campaigning to increase minimum wages with a target of €1500 a month. This was achieved in the retail sector earlier this year and now unions like the GPA-djp services union are looking at the next step in the campaign - a target of at least €1700 for minimum wages in all collective agreements. [Read more at > GPA-djp (DE)->http://www.gpa-djp.at/cms/A03/A03_0.a/1342558466181/home/katzian
