Minimum wage, here’s why it’s wrong to set it in Italy: the rejection of the CNEL

Being a support for Giorgia Meloni’s government and a kick in the shins of the opposition that it is. Even though Pd, Action and M5S have already guaranteed that they will continue to insist on the introduction of the minimum wage, so much so that yesterday they organized a collection of signatures in the squares. For the moment, we need to record the CNEL’s substantial no to the proposal presented by law by the center-left parties and the Grillini, expressed in the almost 30 pages of observations and conclusions on the legal minimum wage. Text approved by the assembly of the body chaired by Renato Brunetta, which was opposed only by the CGIL, while the UIL abstained. A small review to bring the matter into focus. The political and social debate on the minimum wage has periodically characterized the last four years, with the presentation of several legislative proposals on the topic. In these last months of 2023, then, the climate heated up even more until June 30th, when the center-left oppositions (with the exception of Italia Viva) presented the latest legislative proposal for its introduction in Italy. The seven-point proposal envisages a minimum threshold of 9 euros gross per hour, with the aim of protecting poor workers who currently have lower wages and, in many cases, are not covered by collective agreements. Now, outside of Italy, the European Parliament adopted new legislation on adequate minimum wages in June 2022, which resulted in a directive adopted by the European Council on 4 October 2022. From this date, Member States have two years, so until October 2024, to incorporate its content into national legislation.

The bill presented on June 30, 2023 by the center-left oppositions (M5S, PD, Italian Left, Action, Green Europe and Europe+) provides for a legal minimum wage of 9 euros. The amount should not only concern employed workers, but also in the context of para-subordination and self-employment. But in Villa Lubin they think differently, even if in the end only the word of the Chamber counts, since the bill in question is expected in Montecitorio on October 17th. The essence is more or less this: to protect workers, an extension and reinforcement of national negotiation is necessary, because only with a good contract for each work sector can a fair wage be guaranteed. This is the right path, not a minimum wage established by law. Behind the CNEL’s conclusions there is a conviction. In other words, working poverty in Italy exists, but it is mainly due to working hours and family composition. And therefore “it is a phenomenon that goes beyond the salary issue”. Much better is “an orderly and harmonious development of the collective bargaining system”.

Furthermore, according to the Cnel, Italian legislation already largely respects the indications of the EU directive on minimum wages: in fact, the coverage rate of collective bargaining in Italy is close to 100%, much higher than the 80%, parameter indicated by the same rules as the EU. In short, the conditions are lacking. At this moment, however, we can talk about a four-speed Europe. Five countries have not adopted the minimum wage, namely: Italy, Austria, Denmark, Finland and Sweden. The states that have a legal minimum wage are divided into three groups: those in which the minimum wage is greater than 1,500 euros per month, those in which it varies between 1,000 and 1,500 and those in which it is less than 1,000. Furthermore, six countries have a high hourly rate: almost 14 euros in Luxembourg (2,387 euros per month), around 12 in Germany and Belgium, and above 11 in Ireland, France and the Netherlands. In Germany, the Scholz government increased the minimum wage in 2022, raising it to 12 euros per hour, but in many sectors collective bargaining guarantees higher minimums for workers.

Source: IL Tempo

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