In 22 EU countries where a legal minimum wage, this has been since the beginning of the year increases: Europe, minimum wages increased on average by a nominal 4.8, and after deduction of Inflation to 2.7 percent. The minimum wage report of the economic and Social research Institute (WSI) of the Hans-Böckler-Foundation.

20 EU countries have therefore increased their minimum wages at the beginning of the year 2019, or in the second half of the previous year, the UK decided that for the month of April. For the first time in seven years climbed to 1. February is also the Greek minimum wage. Only in Latvia, there is in sight no increase.

The German minimum wage was increased at the beginning of the year by 35 cents to 9,19 euros per hour. However, it is still lower than in Western European countries, in which the lower limit in the case of 9,66 EUR and beyond. In France had to be paid at least ten euros per hour in Luxembourg, was the lower limit in the case of 11,97 Euro. The Trend towards higher increases in the EU have continued from previous years to 2019, write to the WSI collective expert Thorsten Schulten and Malte Lübker in your WSI report.

Particularly dynamic in the Central and Eastern European EU developed countries with growth rates between seven and ten percent. Spain and Lithuania stand out particularly, the wage increases under the limits of 22 and 38 percent. Both followed the intent of the governments to increase the minimum wage in relation to average wages in the country. In the UK, the conservative government wants to increase by 2020 the threshold to 60 percent of the median wage. From this level, the wages are measured by the respective national Median – according to poverty researchers as a living wage, because standing Alone can generally live without the need for special social transfers of their work.

proposals for an appropriate minimum level of Europe to anchor, after analysis of the WSI-experts are increasingly supporters. Also in the coalition agreement the Federal government agreed that the German presidency to: – strive for a “European legal framework for minimum wages”. The presidency of the Council starts in the second half of 2020. Federal labour Minister Hubertus Heil recently announced an Initiative. In the past few years, the gap between the rich and the poor EU-countries is greater, the threats to the European unification project. The EU framework could help to strengthen social cohesion in Europe, said healing.

Despite the current increases in the minimum wage in most countries but is still far from the 60 percent target. In Germany, he achieved currently, not even half of the so-called median wage level. To reach 60 percent, he would have to be, to just under 12 euros increases.

In the southern European EU member States must at least 3,61 euros (Portugal), 3,76 Euro (Greece) or 5,45 Euro (Spain) will be paid. In most other Central and Eastern European countries, minimum wages are even lower, but get more. So in Lithuania is now the equivalent of 3.39 euros per hour paid in the Czech Republic was 3.11, in Poland, to 3.05, and in Romania 2,68 Euro. The lowest in the EU the minimum wage is in Bulgaria at 1.72 euros. The differences in Level in part reflects different cost of living. On the basis of purchasing power standards, the ratio changes between the EU-countries with a low and a relatively high lower limit. Romania is viewed in this manner, for example, in front of Portugal and Greece.

Austria, the Nordic countries and Italy have no minimum wage. In these countries, a high level of tariff binding, which is also supported by the state, but most of the time. In fact, collective agreements set a General lower limit, which, Schulten, and Lübker, “in the rule is above the statutory minimum wages in Western Europe”.

88 cents per hour in Russia

Also outside the EU, minimum wages are widespread and have increased almost everywhere, 2019. The WSI compared the minimum wages in 15 countries: they range from the equivalent of 78 cents in Moldova and the Ukraine, to 88 cents in Russia, and EUR 1.05 in Brazil, about 2,30 Euro in Turkey, 6,14 Euro in the USA and Euro 6.70 in Japan up to 9,67 Euro in new Zealand and 11,98 Euro in Australia.

Especially in the USA there are also regional sub-limits of: The highest minimum wage is in California, Massachusetts and Washington (10,16 Euro). In addition, more and more cities lead to local minimum wages that are far above the national and regional level. So workers must be in Seattle for at least 16 dollars (13,55 Euro), in New York City and San Francisco 12,70 euros.