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The Minister of State, Economy and Digital Transition said today that “there are no counterparts” and “there has never been” an increase in the national minimum wage, indicating that the Government maintains the goal of reaching 750 euros in 2023.
“There are no counterparts or compensation for raising the minimum wage, there never is, there never was,” Pedro Siza Vieira told the press at the end of the Social Concert meeting where the State Budget proposal for 2021 (OE2021) was discussed.
However, the minister defended that it is necessary “to continue giving support to companies” and to preserve jobs, being that “this support is especially necessary in sectors that are more exposed to external competition or that may have more temporary difficulties as is the case of the tourist sectors ”.
“We understand that increasing the minimum wage is important to dignify work, but also as a stimulus to domestic demand. […] But we also understand that we must continue to support companies that protect and preserve employment and employment ”, stressed the Minister of Economy.
The Undersecretary of State for Labor and Vocational Training, Miguel Cabrita, said that the Government must present a proposal to increase the minimum wage until 2021 “in the next meetings, if not in the next meeting” of the Concertación. Social.
The national minimum wage is 635 euros and the Government has already expressed its willingness to increase the amount in line with the average of the last four years, which will mean an increase of less than 25 euros.
Regarding the Government’s proposal, approved by the Council of Ministers, regarding the suspension of the calculation of deadlines associated with the expiration of collective labor contracts, Miguel Cabrita said that it will apply “to all collective contracts that are currently in the process of being processed “. inform and have deadlines in progress “.
According to the Secretary of State, in the last year six complaints have been dealt with, covering between 25,000 and 30,000 workers.
The suspension of deadlines also applies to confiscation processes “that are already overdue and have deadlines in progress,” with coverage in this case almost twice as many workers, he added.
Miguel Cabrita has also said that the suspension of deadlines will continue to cover “the collective agreements that are in force but which, at the current time of crisis and pandemic, may be at risk of being denounced.”
The general secretary of CGTP, Isabel Camarinha, assured that an increase in the minimum wage below 35 euros “does not guarantee an increase in purchasing power or the dignity of workers.”
Regarding the suspension of the expiration rule, the inter-union leader considered it insufficient and reaffirmed the need for its revocation.
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