Europe
The ETUI-REHS trade union research centre has organised a conference on 2 and 3 May to discuss minimum wages. The debates will focus both on legal minimum wages and campaigns to increase minimum wage rates in collective agreements. There will be presentations on France, Germany, USA, the Scandanavian countries, Spain, UK, Austria, Central and Eastern Europe and Switzerland. The final panel of speakers will include EPSU president Anne-Marie Perret.
Read more at > ETUI-REHS
Services union ver.di and the NGG food and catering workers' union held a joint conference on 26 and 27 April as part of their developing campaign in support of a legal minimum wage. The conference was opened with a short film revealing what is like trying to survive on low pay. Verdi general secretary Frank Bsirske and his NGG counterpart Franz-Josef Möllner provided a comprehensive introduction to the key issues explaining very clearly why Germany needs a legal minimum wage. There were discussions about the impact of minimum wages elsewhere including the UK and France (presented by EPSU
Following the major study of minimum wages by the EIRO industrial relations observatory in August, the Eurostat statistical body has just published its round-up of national minimum wage rates around Europe. It finds the monthly rates range from 72 euros in Romania to 1467 in Luxembourg. Don't forget to comment on the draft EPSU policy document on low pay. If you would like a copy contact [email protected]. Read more at > Eurostat
The monthly minimum wage in Latvia increases to 128 euros this month. This puts it at 36% of average pay as at June 2005. However, rapidly rising earnings levels means that the minimum wage is likely to fall to only 30% of average earnings by June 2006. The report from the EIRO industrial relations observatory reveals that the minimum wage is lower now in proportion to average earnings than it was 10 years ago. Read more at > EIRO
