The companies agree with applause the age distribution of the minimum wage, which is discrimination for young people Business

Andrius Romanovskis, president of the Lithuanian Business Confederation (LVK), included a question in the meeting of the Tripartite Council, whose objective is to start a debate on the differentiation by age of the monthly minimum wage.

Companies say this will make it easier for young people to enter the job market. However, unions oppose such a proposal and argue that it is age discrimination.

READ MORE: Companies offer minimum wage based on age, union says is nonsense

Young people are not ready for the job market

Gediminas Balnis, head of the Amber Food company, which manages more than fifty restaurants and cafes in the country 15 minutes he said he welcomed such a proposal. According to him, young people trying to enter the labor market are not at all prepared for life, they don’t even know the basics.

“On the one hand, it would be easier for them to find work. On the other hand, the employer would amortize the investment in training. Because if there is a choice, employers try to hire an older employee. ” 15 minutes commented.

He was also seconded by Algis Šlapelis, the director of the Tokė LT company located in the Jonava district.

“There would be no such risk for the employer, and if then it can be effective, then automatically the employer will have to try to keep it because it will already be competitive. I agree, it would make sense for young people and it would be easier for the employer. For example, if 1.5 people are needed to do the job, then 2 people could be accepted and then they would gain experience ”, he is convinced.

According to A. Šlapelis, there is no single, simple answer as to why it is difficult for a young person to find work. According to him, this may be influenced by past experiences.

“There are companies where young people outsource. If you assign once, that employer starts to take a closer look. At least from our experience, we only look for people and observe young people. At the beginning we pay them a minimum so that we do not commit ourselves, but later they earn more, because we see that a person is doing quality work, showing initiative ”, he said.

If this procedure is approved, A. Šlapelis assured that he will be encouraged to hire more young people himself.

“It would be an easier decision,” he said. 15 minutes he said.

Call the proposal discriminatory

Lukas Kornelijus Vaičiakas, president of the Lithuanian Council of Youth Organizations (LiJOT), described the age distribution of MMA as discriminatory.

“Europe and the European Parliament are currently discussing the abandonment of free internships, and we in Lithuania are discussing the differentiation of MMA by age. We value this as [pasiūlymą], which is discriminatory. LiJOT is therefore opposed to this issue being discussed in the Tripartite Council and if it is, we ask that all interested parties be invited to do so. Young people really have something to say. ” 15 minutes He explained.

It also received the support of Eigirdas Sarkanas, director of the Lithuanian Student Union (LSS), who also described the proposal as discriminatory at the meeting of the Tripartite Council. According to VMS, more than 50 percent. First cycle students are employed and research shows that in Lithuania students spend an average of 33 hours a week at work, while the average in the European Union is 28 hours.

“Students receive around € 500 a month in Lithuania, including parental support. The costs are similar. Students themselves agree that work is detrimental to their learning outcomes, but they are forced to work. If we move on to MMA differentiation, we will create such conditions that to receive the same income, students will have to work not an average of 33 hours per week, but 35 to 40, ”he said.

Furthermore, according to Sarkan, there is a clear state policy in Denmark that if a student works up to 20 hours a week, he can receive state aid of up to 700 euros. However, if you work harder, you lose support. In the Netherlands, he said, there is also a support system.

“It is possible to discuss a certain differentiation, but in that case we have to discuss a complex structure, complex changes. “Now there is the impression that the employers have not been able to convince the Government and the unions that the minimum wage should not rise, now they are trying to circumvent this situation and reduce the minimum wage for young people and the most vulnerable,” he said.

Rūta Skyrienė, Chairman of the Tripartite Council and Executive Director of the Investor Forum Association, responded to this speech.

“I really hope that after graduation you are an employer and then you can see what you have more to do with your heart. I think we have a distorted situation in general. Very often, a young person wants to work less, but it is not worth it for the the employer accepts it, because he has to pay the full “Sodra.” Regulation that is detrimental to youth employment, “he said.

He took the side of youth

The SBA’s concern also joined the youth side, and according to the chief of staff Auksė Žukauskienė, the proposal to differentiate the monthly minimum wage according to age would be incorrect and discriminatory.

“The size of MMA in the country is already such that the people who win it barely satisfy their basic needs. “It cannot be assumed that an older person has more experience than a younger person and that they should be paid a higher minimum just because of age,” he said.

A.Žukauskienė pointed out that according to the laws in force in the country, MMA can only be paid for unskilled work. In addition, he believes that paying a young person a lower salary deprives him of his motivation to do a good job.

“With the rise in youth unemployment in recent months, a lower MMA would certainly not encourage more young people to work as they would not be interested in seeking a low-paying job or even encouraging them to leave Lithuania,” he said.

Gintautas Paluckas, president of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP), describes this proposal to differentiate the minimum wage by age as absurd.

According to G. Paluckas, the minimum wage in Lithuania (450 euros “in hand”) is one from which it is already impossible to earn a living, so reducing it would be unjustified for some people.

“It just came to our knowledge then. This is the argument that” this is the case abroad. “However, in developed economies, the minimum living wage is double that in Lithuania. And no one lives with us with the minimum wage. That’s why people emigrate or look for solutions by working two or three jobs, “he said.

LVK: Youth unemployment is a big problem

LVK President Andrius Romanovskis addressed the unions in the Tripartite Council and stressed that he did not want to push the issue forward with a bulldozer.

“We are not talking about the invention of the bicycle, but about the experience of the West, Denmark, Holland, the United Kingdom and Ireland, where it is clearly differentiated by age. And the problem is that youth unemployment is huge and a problem here in all countries, “he said.

According to A. Romanovskis, the Dutch have noticed that after the period when a lower MMA is applied, youth unemployment is increasing again.

“Employers tend to integrate young people for the benefits. Our proposal to discuss ”, he assured.

He also highlighted that these are people aged 15-16 to 21-23 years.

“Everyone talks about youth unemployment, including youth organizations, doing nothing, maybe bringing Europeans together Grant us, but since unemployment is huge, it is too ”, he assured.

Ministry: this is discrimination

Eglė Radišauskienė, Deputy Minister of Social Security and Labor, did not support this proposal either. First, according to her, the adoption of the MMA differentiation would require an amendment to the Labor Code and there is currently no legal basis for such a proposal.

“It would be discrimination in our head and also, the states mentioned have not yet been evaluated. In states where there is a high MMA, over a thousand, there is differentiation. Especially, there is something completely different in Lithuania. First of all, unless we have to agree to a thousand euros, then we can talk about reduction or something else, ”he said in the Tripartite Council.

According to E.Radišauskienė, real youth unemployment is no longer that high, because some students have registered with the Employment Service to receive benefits. Also due to the decision of the Constitutional Court that recognizes that students can receive unemployment insurance benefit.

“It should not be said that youth unemployment is increasing dramatically. Young people, by the way, who are studying or who are not qualified, work in the service sector. There really is a monthly minimum wage and that is where there is a shortage of staff. Certainly We don’t think age-based differentiation is appropriate. Plus, there’s a threat that at a certain age, you won’t just get fired? “he said.

Currently, around 130 thousand people receive the minimum wage and less in Lithuania. people.

Under the Labor Code, an employee’s monthly minimum wage can only be paid for unskilled work.