“The paradox is that the minimum wage could risk becoming a substitute parameter and not an additional one, with the result of paradoxically worsening the wages of many more workers than those for whom it would improve it. A captivating title but a result that risks being counterproductive”. Thus the premier Giorgia Meloni, in her social column ‘Giorgia’s notes’.
Read also
“In the next few days we will open a discussion” with the oppositions and “we will try to understand if there is room for a serious proposal on low wages”, he added, underlining: ”Because we have not accepted the legal minimum wage proposal as it is been presented by the opposition? Italy is considered a virtuous country because we have a very high percentage of workers covered by collective bargaining, i.e. by reference contracts signed by 97% by CGIL, CISL and UIL and all of them also provide for a minimum wage for each sector. Now if in the face of this, I decided to establish by law a minimum hourly wage for everyone, which inevitably will have to stay in the middle, then I would find myself with a legal minimum wage which in many cases could reasonably be much lower than the contractual minimum expected. That is, the paradox is that the minimum wage risks becoming a substitute parameter and not an additional one, making wages much worse than those who improve them. The title is captivating but risks being counterproductive”.
”If we look at the OECD data on the trend of average wages, we see that for over 30 years – Meloni underlined – Italian wages in real terms have been practically frozen. Indeed, we are the only country in Europe with decreasing wages. If we then restrict the field of research to the last 10 years, essentially governed by the left, we see that we have dropped on average by 1.4%. In the same years the wages of the French increased by 4.3%, those of the Germans by 6.75%. So yes, there is a serious problem of low wage levels in Italy. I’m glad that even those who had been in government but were unable to reverse the trend are finally realizing it”. Meloni therefore asked herself: ”Why, if the legal minimum wage is the solution, have the parties that are now clamoring for it not introduced it? Probably because we are aware of the fact that it might not be an effective solution”.
Pd
“What is Meloni’s strategy, to convene the meeting and then look for the accident to blow it up?”, Dem sources know about the meeting to discuss the opposition law proposal on the minimum wage convened by Giorgia Meloni for Friday 11 August .
M5S
“After months, the ‘Notes by Giorgia Meloni’ are back, the column with which she tells us about government activities. It had long since disappeared because perhaps it has nothing to tell and perhaps a lot to hide. Obviously not a word about the disaster in the management of migrants, on rising petrol. Much less an ‘apology’ for the shameful text message from the INPS which cuts all support to 169,000 families, throwing mayors, public offices and social workers into chaos. On this, even his minister Calderone had to admit the mistake”. Thus began Giuseppe Conte’s Facebook, president of the 5-star Movement, regarding the public video from the Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni.
“In his broadcast, however, Meloni says one thing – added the pentastellato leader -. He reiterates that he is against the legal minimum wage, using unfounded and laughable arguments to justify his stubbornness. Above all, the one on the basis of which with the minimum wage salaries would go down. A full-blown fake news, which demonstrates how Meloni hasn’t read even a line of our proposal. Which is clear: if a collective agreement provides for a wage of 5 euros an hour for a worker, with our proposal that wage rises to 9. If it provides for 11 euros an hour, it remains at 11. It certainly does not go down to 9”. “At this point we understand how Friday’s meeting in Chigi promises to be uphill. The government does not seem to want to budge from its prejudices. We are not stopping. It will mean that during the meeting I will try to explain how things are with graphics”, concluded Conte.
CALENDA
“It would be useful to keep your tone low before the meeting on the minimum wage. I understand that sitting around a table together, without prejudices and preconceptions is difficult for everyone. I understand that the temptation to remain closed in one’s respective trenches is reassuring. I understand that the “Comfort area” of politics is the clash and not the meeting. But seeking an agreement is an act of responsibility towards the country and 3.5 million poor workers. Let’s try with good will “. Carlo Calenda, leader of Action, writes it on Twitter, after the words of the other opposition leaders who responded to the premier.
LEFT GREEN ALLIANCE
“Giorgia Meloni’s video seems like a provocation. Continuing to argue that the minimum wage will also bring down other employment contracts means saying something false or demonstrating that even the Prime Minister, like many before her, has not read the our proposal which instead supports and strengthens collective bargaining”, said Angelo Bonelli and Nicola Fratoianni, deputies of the Left Green Alliance.
“If President Meloni has summoned the opposition with great pomp to reiterate her no to the minimum wage law then the question arises spontaneously. What has she summoned us to do?”, Ask the leader of Green Europe and the leader of the Italian Left respectively. “Poor work is a scourge that afflicts over three million male and female workers in a country which, unique in Europe, has seen wages fall in the last 30 years. We remind Meloni and his advisers that in Europe Italy is among the very few countries that do not have a minimum wage limit, present instead in 21 out of 27 countries – they continue -. Moreover, as all the data shows, where there is a minimum wage, what has happened is exactly the opposite. generalized wage growth.
“If the purpose of the convocation is only to organize a walkthrough of the government in difficulty on this issue, let us know. Because nobody wants to waste time. And Parliament is the forum in which to discuss and decide”, concluded Bonelli and Fratoianni.