Most EU member states have missed the November 15 deadline to transpose the minimum wage directive into national law, with some actively undermining its principles. The directive aims to ensure wages that meet the cost of living and extend collective bargaining coverage, potentially lifting over 20 million workers’ pay. Research by the European Trade Union Institute shows the directive’s “double decency” threshold—60% of the median wage and 50% of the average wage—has already influenced wage-setting in some countries. Reports from ETUC’s ‘Wage Up’ campaign highlight insufficient political will in many states. For instance, in the Netherlands and France, governments claim existing legislation suffices, while unions argue the measures fall short of directive requirements.
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For more information, please contact Paul de Beer or Oana Ciuca, De Burcht (Scientific Bureau for the Dutch Trade Union Movement) p.t.debeer@uva.nl or the Head of communications at the ETUI, Mehmet Koksal mkoksal@etui.org. For previous full issues of the Collective bargaining newsletter please visit https://www.etui.org/Newsletters/Collective-bargaining-newsletter or consult the archive with all articles in our database at www.cbnarchive.eu.
You may find further information on the ETUI at www.etui.org.