Apr 22, 2018
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Portugese and Croatian workers in the commerce sector, who get paid according to the lowest pay scales, have the least purchasing power. This is shown through WageIndicator BARCOM research on collectively bargained wages amongst twelve European countries. The best-off workers in commerce with a low wage live in Denmark and Finland.
Although it is possible to earn a decent wage in the commerce sector, many workers struggle to make ends meet. In many of the countries that have been examined, the lowest pay scale starts at about the same level as guaranteed in the minimum wage. In Croatia, Estonia, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain, there are cases where the bottom step of the lowest pay scale effectively falls below the minimum wage. As many workers in commerce are employed on a part-time basis, the wages earned in the lower pay scales demand a second earner in the household to make ends meet.
In terms of purchasing power, workers in the lowest scales are worst off in Portugal and Croatia, and best off in Denmark and Finland. Workers in the highest pay scale earn relatively high wages in the Netherlands and Germany, as well as in Portugal and Croatia, two countries that perform poorly for the lowest pay scales.