Activities of Anne SANDER related to 2020/0310(COD)
Plenary speeches (1)
Adequate minimum wages in the European Union (debate)
Amendments (21)
Amendment 166 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 9
Recital 9
(9) To ensure a strong and inclusive economic recovery, it is vital that our businesses, particularly SMEs and micro- enterprises, are in good health. The Covid-19 pandemic is having a significant impact on the services sector and small firms, which both have a high share of minimum wage earners. In addition, minimum wages are also important in view of the structural trends that are reshaping labour markets and which are increasingly characterised by high shares of non- standard and precarious work. These trends have led to an increased job polarisation resulting in an increasing share of low-paid and low- skilled occupations in most Member States, as well as to higher wage inequality in some of them.
Amendment 174 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) While minimum wage protection exists in all Member States, in some that protection stems from legislative provisions (“statutory minimum wages”) and from collective agreements while in others it is provided exclusively, through collective agreements. These different national traditions must be respected, as also each Member State’s approach to the structure of professional employer or employee organisations, and the areas that can be covered by collective bargaining.
Amendment 180 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) Minimum wage protection set out by collective agreements in low-paid occupations is adequate in most cases; statutory minimum wages are low compared to other wages in the economy in several Member States. In 2018, the statutory minimum wage did not provide sufficient income for a single minimum- wage earner to reach the at-risk-of-poverty threshold in nine Member States. In addition, the use of reduced minimum wage rates (variations) and deductions from statutory minimum wages negatively affect their adequacy; however, these options can also have positive structural effects in terms of apprenticeships or labour market integration for example, and should not therefore be ruled out.
Amendment 216 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) This Directive establishes minimum requirements at Union level to ensure both that minimum wages are set at adequate level and that workers have access to minimum wage protection, in the form of a statutory minimum wage or in the form of wages set under collective agreements as defined for the purpose of this Directive, while respecting the principle of subsidiarity and the national traditions and specificities of each Member State.
Amendment 297 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 21
Recital 21
(21) Minimum wages are considered adequate if they are fair in relation to the wage distribution in the country and if they provide a decent standard of living. The adequacy of statutory minimum wages is determined in view of the national socio- economic conditions, including employment growth, competitiveness as well as regional and sectoral developments. Their adequacy shouldmay be assessed at least, if necessary, in relation to their purchasing power, to the productivity developments and to their relation to the gross wage levels, distribution and growth. The use of indicators commonly used at international level, such as 60% of the gross median wage and 50% of the gross average wage, can help guide the assessment of minimum wage adequacy in relation to the gross level of wages.
Amendment 328 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 22
Recital 22
(22) To promote adequacy of minimum wages for all groups of workers, variations and deductions from statutory minimum wages should be limited to a minimum, while ensuring that social partners are duly consulted in their definition. Variations and deductions should, however, remain possible. Some deductions to statutory minimum wages may be justified by a legitimate aim, including overstated amounts paid or deductions ordered by a judicial authority. Others, such as deductionsSome variations, particularly in relatedion to the equipment necessary to perform a job or deductions of allowances in kind, such as accommodationapprenticeships or employment of young workers, may also be unjustified or disproportionate.
Amendment 377 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 30
Recital 30
(30) In implementing this Directive Member States should avoid imposing additional administrative, financial and legal constraints in a way which wouldon businesses, in particular where they may hold back the creation and development of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. Member States are therefore invited to assess the impact of their transposition act on small and medium-sized enterprises in order to ensure that they are not disproportionately affected, giving specific attention to micro- enterprises and to the administrative burden, and to publish the results of such assessments. If found that micro, small and medium-sized enterprises are disproportionately affected, Member States should consider introducing measures to support these enterprises to adjust their remuneration structures to the new requirements.
Amendment 477 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 5
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 5
(5) ‘collective bargaining coverage’ means the share of workers at national level to whom a collective agreement, regulating wages or working conditions in particular, applies;
Amendment 484 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
1. With the aim to increase the collective bargaining coverage Member States shall take, in consultation with the social partnAt the request of the national social partners, Member States may adopt measures establishing favourable conditions for collective bargaining, provided that industrial relations are respected. Such measures must respect the fundamental freedoms of workers, at least the following measures:nd employers as enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.
Amendment 496 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point a
Amendment 503 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point b
Amendment 565 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 5 – paragraph 1
Article 5 – paragraph 1
1. Member States with statutory minimum wages shall take the necessary measuresestablish a framework to ensure that the setting and updating of statutory minimum wages are guided by criteria set to promote adequacy with the aim to achieve decent working and living conditions, social cohesion and upward convergence. Member States shall define those criteria in accordance with their national practices, either in relevant national legislation, in decisions of the competent bodies or in tripartite agreements. The criteria shall be defined in a stable and clear way.
Amendment 567 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
2. The national criteria referred to in paragraph 1 shallmay include at least the following elementthe following criteria, with their relative weight and relevance being decided by each Member State based on its national socio-economic conditions:
Amendment 607 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point d a (new)
Article 5 – paragraph 2 – point d a (new)
(da) competitiveness.
Amendment 626 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 5 – paragraph 3
Article 5 – paragraph 3
3. Member States shallmay use indicative reference values to guide their assessment of adequacy of statutory minimum wages in relation to the general level of gross wages, such as those commonly used at international level for example.
Amendment 663 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 6 – title
Article 6 – title
Amendment 677 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 6 – paragraph 1
Article 6 – paragraph 1
1. Member States mayshall be free to allow different rates of statutory minimum wage for specific groups of workers, in particular with the aim of facilitating apprenticeships or labour market integration. Member States shall keep these variations to a minimum, and ensure that any variation is non- discriminatory, proportionate, limited in time if relevant, and objectively and reasonably justified by a legitimate aim.
Amendment 686 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 6 – paragraph 2
Article 6 – paragraph 2
2. Member States mayshall be free to allow deductions by law that reduce the remuneration paid to workers to a level below that of the statutory minimum wage. Member States shall ensure that these deductions from statutory minimum wages are necessary, objectively justified and proportionate.
Amendment 720 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – point d
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – point d
(d) the collection of data and the carrying out of studies for the information of statutory minimum wage setting authorities;
Amendment 741 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – point 1
(1) strengthen theimplement controls and field inspections conducted by labour inspectorates or the bodies responsible for the enforcement of statutory minimum wages. The controls and inspections shall be proportionate and non-discriminatory;
Amendment 772 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 10 – paragraph 1
Article 10 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall task their competent authorities with developing effective data collection tools to monitor the coverage and adequacy of minimum wages. Such monitoring shall not impose an additional administrative burden, in particular on micro, small and medium- sized enterprises.