We made a small step with the proposal on the minimum wage

Statements by AKEL MEP Giorgos Georgiou:

8 June 2022, ‘Dialogos’ portal

We have taken a small step with the proposal on the minimum wage, Left Group and AKEL MEP, Giorgos Georgiou, told the Cyprus News Agency (CNA).

“This initial political agreement will go back to the Social Affairs Committee of the European Parliament for approval, will subsequently be approved by the EP Plenary and then by the European Council,” G.Georgiou says.

Furthermore, he notes that the question is what will the European People’s Party (EPP) do, adding that it can change the substance of the agreement through the submission of various amendments, thus undoing the proposal, which does contain good elements.

The proposal ensures an adequate salary for someone to have a dignified living, the Left MEP underlines, adding that the social stakeholders should take part in the debate, while the collective agreements must cover 80% of workers.

Furthermore, the AKEL MEP points out that the criteria for the minimum wage, services and essential goods should be set based on the market value and the given conditions of each country. He went on to say that there should be a right of appeal when a worker feels that his or her minimum wage is being violated and there should also be no shortcomings such as non-payment of overtime, labour intensification, undeclared work, subcontracting, etc. “The proposal provides for the protection of workers people and trade unionists,” he explained to the CNA.

As far as Cyprus is concerned, AKEL MP Giorgos Georgiou says that the discussion has covered 90% of the ground and a conclusion on the issue has still to be reached. “I wish and hope that we will arrive at an agreement on the issue,” he points out, adding that there will be collective agreements for those professions that will be covered and legislation that will establish a mechanism to determine the minimum wage, which will have nothing to do whatsoever with the single European wage. In Bulgaria the minimum wage is €312, while in Luxembourg it is €2,100, Giorgos Georgiou said.