Fair minimum wages and collective bargaining Challenges for

Fair minimum wages and collective bargaining Challenges for fair decent minimum wages and collective bargaining in the EU CMKOS / ACV / ETUC Video Conference 25 November 2020 Dr. Torsten Müller European Trade Union Institute - ETUI

Different minimum wage systems in the EU 27 MW set by CB Statutory Minimum Wage Institutionalised procedure Government following recommenda tion of advisory body Government following bi/tripartite non-binding consultation Government following tripartite decision making process Automatic Indexation Government extends coll. Agreements by legislation DE, GR, IE, BG, ES, HR, CZ, LT, PL, BE, EE HU, LV, MT, SK FR PT, Sl, RO BE, FR, LU, AT, CY, MT, NL, Sl DK, Fl, IT, SE Dr. Torsten Müller – CMKOS / ACV / ETUC Video Conference, 25 November 2020

Statutory national minimum wages (per hour, in euros, May 2020) Dr. Torsten Müller – CMKOS / ACV / ETUC Video Conference, 25 November 2020

Dr. Torsten Müller, FES, 18 November 2020 Minimum Wage as % of average and median wage, 2019 Key demands of ETUC to be included in the Directive

Increases (%) needed to reach 60% of the median and 50% of the average (2019) More than 20 million workers would benefit!!!! median wage average wage Dr. Torsten Müller – CMKOS / ACV / ETUC Video Conference, 25 November 2020

National trade union initiatives to substantially increase the MW Increase of more than 35%: Increase between 10 and 35%: Dr. Torsten Müller – CMKOS / ACV / ETUC Video Conference, 25 November 2020

Government initiatives to increase minimum wages New law: 60% of national average wage Government plan: 60% of national average wage (2024) Increase of 23% in 2010 since then 60% of national median wage Dr. Torsten Müller – CMKOS / ACV / ETUC Video Conference, 25 November 2020

CB coverage in the EU 27 + UK (% of workforce covered by collective, greement; 2016 -2018) EU 27: 61% Dr. Torsten Müller – CMKOS / ACV / ETUC Video Conference, 25 November 2020

Development of CB coverage (% of workforce covered by collective, greement; 2000 and 2016 -2018)

CB Coverage and Low Wage Sector (in % of full-time employees earning less than 2/3 of median wage; 2014 -2018; OECD Earnings Database and Eurostat) Bargaining coverage less than 70% Bargaining coverage more than 70% Dr. Torsten Müller – CMKOS / ACV / ETUC Video Conference, 25 November 2020

Decline in CB coverage Ø Weakening of state support for collective bargaining Ø Promoting decentralisation of negotiations Ø Undermining bargaining rights for unions Ø Gradual retreat of employers from multi-employer bargaining Dr. Torsten Müller – CMKOS / ACV / ETUC Video Conference, 25 November 2020

Key challenge Strengthening regulatory capacity of CB From Below: Union Power at the workplace From Above: State/Politics/Society • Organizing to increase union density • Innovative bargaining strategies attracting new kinds of members • Scandalizing non-coverage • Transnational support and solidarity action • • • Supporting union presence in the workplace Supporting regulation for multi-employer bargaining Labour clauses in public procurement Public discourse on the value of CB European regulation Increasing collective bargaining coverage Torsten Müller, ACV-CSC, 12 November 2019

Challenges for fair decent minimum wages and collective bargaining in the EU Thank you very much for your attention!!! Dr. Torsten Müller European Trade Union Institute Koning Albert II Laan, 5 1210 Brussels tmueller@etui. org Available at: https: //www. dielinkeeuropa. eu/de/article/12746. europ%C 3%A 4 ischemindestlohninitiative-muss-priorit%C 3%A 4 t-derdeutschen-eu-ratspr%C 3%A 4 sidentschaftwerden. html