The increase in the national minimum wage divided positions this Thursday in the debate in Parliament. To the PCP’s proposal for the minimum wage to rise to 850 euros, the left responded in the affirmative, considering it a “social and economic imperative”, but the right signaled social consultation and the pandemic.
“The proposal we present here is a structural proposal for the economic and social valuation of the country, as well as the valuation of work and workers”, defended Diana Ferreira, in the Assembly of the Republic, during the debate on the PCP’s draft resolution that recommends to the Government the increase of the minimum wage to 850 euros.
For the PCP, the appreciation of the national minimum wage is “determining” to reverse the process of “injustice, poverty and worsening exploitation” in Portugal. “There is no developed country without an appreciation of wages”, said Diana Ferreira, stressing that wage increases influence domestic consumption and boost the economy.” BE, PEV and PAN follow proposal
The Left Block considers that the current minimum wage is “too low” because the Portuguese take home “592 liquids per month “. “It gives for very little”, said the Blocist deputy José Soeiro. With the proposed increase to 850 euros, workers would receive at least 750 euros net per month.
To José Soeiro , raising the minimum wage is “a social and economic imperative” to readjust the “profound imbalance that exists
between capital and labor”. The 750 euros promised by the government for 2023 are “the minimum” for the blocists, who want to “go further”. The Ecologist Party “The Greens” (PEV) stressed that “low wages are meaningless contributed to the dynamism of the economy, promoting increased purchasing power or improving the living conditions of families”. “Having a job is not in itself a condition to get out of poverty”, said José Luís Ferreira, PEV parliamentary leader, arguing that the minimum wage “is worth less today than it was in 1974”.
The PAN also follows the proposal of the PCP, but highlighted in the debate that it is necessary to look at the “average salary”, which “has been forgotten by the left”. The revision of the IRS levels is one of the measures supported by the PAN, but the party warns that it is necessary to avoid a “flattening of the average salary to the minimum salary”.
Right votes against and accuses the PCP of violating the Constitution For the PSD, Deputy Ofélia Ramos highlighted the “coherence” of the PCP by ” every year repeat the same initiatives regardless of the situation”. Given the crisis caused by covid-19, the PSD believes that once again proposing an increase in the minimum wage to 850 euros “detracts from the seriousness and credibility of the PCP”.
“A serious and rigorous evaluation is needed”, defended the PSD deputy, stressing that it is necessary to “comply with the Constitution”, which requires that proposals for salary increases be discussed in social agreement . The PSD also accused the communists of bringing the issue up to debate in Parliament to create “the illusion that they are responsible for raising wages”.
“Proposing an increase of this order of magnitude at a time when the country is facing a crisis of this magnitude is an irresponsible act out of step with reality”, said Ofélia Ramos.
The CDS-PP also rose to contest the proposal, stating that “reducing the discussion to the good guys who want to increase the minimum wage and the bad guys who don’t want to, is to reduce this discussion to the absurd and irrational.” “The increase in the minimum wage is up to social consultation, where companies and workers are”, he referred.
The president and sole deputy of the Liberal Initiative, João Cotrim Figueiredo, defended that “the real injustice” is the high tax burden taxpayers have to pay. “A Portuguese who pays the minimum wage pays 25% of what he earns to the State, including contributions and direct taxes,” he said. For liberals, the reduction of “bureaucracy, context costs and taxes” should be priorities to return income to the Portuguese.
“Nim” of the PS bothers PCP Without revealing the direction of the vote (the proposal is voted on this Friday in Parliament), the PS stressed that, between 2015 and 2021, “the national minimum wage increased by 32%, that is, 160 euros a month and 2,310 euros a year”. “In 2023, when the minimum wage is set at 750 euros, the accumulated increase compared to 2015 will be 50%. Which represents, monthly, more 245 euros and annually, more 3,430 euros”, said the deputy of the PS Fernando José .
“Securing the future on the right track, the Government will listen to the social partners to define the national minimum wage, while seeking a medium-term agreement on wages and income, ensuring a positive trajectory for the income of all workers and families”, signaled the PS.
In response to the socialists, the PCP says that the “neem” to the proposal “does not bode well for good” with regard to the appreciation of wages. “They have time until tomorrow to reflect on the path they want to follow”, said Diana Ferreira, stressing that “it is the workers who produce the wealth that is then distributed in wages”.
Note: This article has been indexed to our site. We do not claim ownership or copyright of any of the content above. To see the article at the original source Click Here
