“Work will pay again, says Agnes Jongerius, S&D spokesperson on employment and European Parliament negotiator:
The European Parliament and the French EU presidency concluded a political agreement on the Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages, in Strasbourg. The agreement is based on two pillars. The first pillar sets decency standards for national statutory minimum wages. By earning a statutory minimum wage, workers must be able to live a decent life. The decency standard is determined by the purchasing power, taking into account the cost of living and the general growth rate and relative wage structure in the respective EU country.
The second pillar of the agreement aims at empowering workers and trade unions during collective bargaining. More workers must get the protection of a collective agreement. When the collective bargaining coverage rate is below 80% in a Member State, a National Action Plan is required to progressively increase the number of workers protected. Additionally, EU countries will be obliged to act, also preventively, if workers or trade union representatives are discriminated, pressured or threatened by an employer.
READ MORE: S&Ds: In times of exploding prices, no time to lose with the new EU law on minimum wages!
