This milestone has been reached thanks to the longstanding campaigning of socialists and democrats in the European institutions. Last year, progressive European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, Nicolas Schmit, proposed the Directive, and last month S&D MEP Agnes Jongerius was instrumental in securing European Parliament support.
PES President Sergei Stanishev said:
“Thanks to the good work of Commissioner Schmit, MEP Agnes Jongerius, and others, we have a good proposal on the table. It will secure fair wages for everyone and strengthen collective bargaining across the EU. It will protect the Nordic model of minimum wage protection though collective bargaining. The Agreement reached today in Council is something we socialists and democrats have been fighting for.
“It has taken just one year for Commissioner Schmit’s proposal to get a position from both the Council and the Parliament. This speed is testament to the urgency of the situation. It is important that the EU acts swiftly to ensure better wages are at the centre of the recovery. As socialists and democrats, we will keep up the pressure to achieve this.
“We are getting closer to a significant victory for workers. I hope the trilogue will strengthen the text of the Directive, to keep the European Parliament’s additional safeguards on collective bargaining, and to secure good renumeration for all workers on statutory minimum wage.”
Progressives want to improve statutory minimum wages and guarantee clear safeguards for collective bargaining systems. In Member States where minimum wages are set by law, a statutory minimum wage above both 50 % of average wage and 60% of median wage should be ensured to meet the threshold of decent pay.
