On Labor Day, EFFAT and the European Trade Union movement demand a pay rise for European workers and deliver one united message: You’re better off in a union!
Last February the ETUC launched a pan European Pay Rise Campaign to demand a salary increase for European workers that can trickle up the economy and tackle inequalities.
There is a virtuous circle in which pay rises allow workers to spend more money on goods and services, which is good for business and creates jobs. While the crises has been left behind by chief executives and business, way too many workers still have NOT felt a recovery.
The best way to raise everyone’s wage is through collective bargaining and wide agreements that can cover as many workers as possible.
1 May is the occasion to remind ourselves of all victories Trade Unions achieved for a better and fairer society and conditions for all workers in Europe. Higher wages are not excluded.
Workers covered by a collective agreement are better off than workers in companies NOT covered by a collective agreement. They are more likely to get a fairer share of the profits generated, earn more money, get a holiday bonus and take part in company training. Furthermore organisations covered by a collective agreement have a smaller gender pay gap.
Just recently EFFAT affiliates, HRF and NGG have reached two important collective agreements in the Swedish hotel & restaurant and in the German food & drink sectors respectively. In Sweden a new agreement assures pay rise with a special investment on low wage workers and time to adjust if your working hours are being sliced. In Germany 8000 Coca-Cola workers are now entitled to increased remuneration and training allowance by 2.2% retroactive since 1 January 2017, and in some regions NGG members will benefit from 100 Euro more from 2018.
EFFAT Secretary General wishes you a happy 1 May saying: ‘It is now a reality that union members are better paid than non-union members. A European pay rise is what European workers need right now to overcome the brutal consequences of the austerity policy. Through collective bargaining this can become reality”.